At least one former Michigan player will win NBA title for first time since Juwan Howard in 2013

A former Michigan basketball player will celebrate winning the NBA title this season, with at least one Wolverine on each of the four remaining teams. That will mark the first time a Michigan player has accomplished the feat since Juwan Howard, now the program’s head coach, did so with the Miami Heat in 2013. 

Howard, an All-American at U-M, played 19 years in the league, the last four coming in Miami. He was part of the teams starring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh during his final three seasons, before transitioning to an assistant coaching role with the organization from 2014-19.

Michigan’s head coach appeared in the NBA Finals in 2012, when the Heat knocked off the Oklahoma City Thunder, but did not play in the 2013 postseason — he was inactive for the majority of the playoffs — despite being on the roster.

The Western Conference Finals will feature Jordan Poole (Golden State Warriors) against a pair of Michigan products in Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. (Dallas Mavericks). Meanwhile in the East, Duncan Robinson’s Heat are pitted against Nik Stauskas and the Boston Celtics. Michigan’s five players in the conference finals are the most out of any school.

Poole is the only Wolverine to have played in each of his team’s playoff games, with five starts in 11 appearances. He ranks third on the Warriors with 19.3 points and 4.8 assists per postseason contest.

Robinson is the only former Michigan player still remaining that has conference finals and NBA Finals experience, however. He was a starter during Miami’s run to the Finals in 2020, when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. In the 2020 postseason, he averaged 11.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, while shooting 39.7 percent from three-point range. He scored 20 or more points four times.

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, as of May 16, the Golden State Warriors (+135) are the favorite to win it all, ahead of the Boston Celtics (+190), Miami Heat (+475) and Dallas Mavericks (+550).

Here’s a look at each Michigan player still remaining in the playoffs.

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Trey Burke (2011-13), G, Dallas Mavericks

Averaged 3.3 points per game in three appearances during the fourth-seeded Mavericks’ 4-2 first-round series victory over the Utah Jazz … Played in four outings in the second round, a seven-game win over the top-seeded Phoenix Suns … Totaled seven points and one rebound in 17 minutes.

Regular Season Stats: Appeared in 42 games off the bench, averaging 1.4 assists per outing and shooting 39.1 percent overall and 31.7 percent from three-point range.

Tim Hardaway Jr. (2010-13), G, Dallas Mavericks

Hasn’t played since Jan. 25 due to a foot injury that required surgery … May 1, head coach Jason Kidd said Hardaway began “straight jogging” and was set to progress to cutting and jumping “three to four weeks” after that point.

Regular Season Stats: The former Michigan guard opened 20 of his 42 contests, registering 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game … Shot 39.4 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from deep.

Jordan Poole (2017-19), G, Golden State Warriors

Put up 21 points, 5.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game in the No. 3 seed Warriors’ 4-1 first-round win over the Denver Nuggets … Scored 27 or more points in the first three games … Notched 17.8 points, 4.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds per contest in a six-game series triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies, including a 31-point performance in Game 1 and 20-plus point showings each of the first three outings … Shot 41.9 percent overall and 29.7 percent from beyond the arc in the series.

Regular Season Stats: The former Michigan guard started 51 of 76 games, registering 18.5 points, four assists and 3.4 rebounds per game … Shot 44.8 percent overall and 36.4 percent from long range, with both marks standing as career-highs … Led the league with a 92.5 free-throw shooting percentage.

Duncan Robinson (2014-18), F, Miami Heat

Went off for 27 points on 9-of-10 shooting including 8-of-9 from deep in Game 1 of the top-seeded Heat’s five-game series victory over the Atlanta Hawks … Appeared in each of the next four games but scored just nine more points and averaged only 13.2 minutes per contest for the series … Saw action in three games — all wins — of a 4-2 conference semifinals triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers, totaling four points, three rebounds and one assist in 19 minutes.

Regular Season Stats: The former Michigan sharpshooter recorded 10.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per outing, while connecting on 39.9 percent of his overall looks and 37.2 percent of his triple tries in 79 games with 68 starts … His three-point shooting percentage was down four points from 2020-21 (43.9) and the lowest of his four-year career outside of his rookie season in which he hit just 28.6 percent of his deep tries.

Nik Stauskas (2012-14), G, Boston Celtics

Did not play in the Celtics’ first-round sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, but made five appearances in the conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks … The Celtics won in seven games, and Stauskas registered one assist in seven minutes.

Regular Season Stats: The former Michigan Big Ten Player of the Year appeared in two games with the Miami Heat before returning to the G League’s Grand Rapids Gold … But after shining there — including a two-game stretch with a combined 100 points — the Boston Celtics signed him to a two-year deal … Played in six games off the bench, averaging 1.2 points per contest and shooting 33.3 percent from the field (2-of-6).