Magic land Michigan's Jett Howard with No. 11 pick in NBA draft

With the 11th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic took Jett Howard out of Michigan.

Howard played for the Wolverines under his father, longtime NBA journeyman Juwan Howard, who is still highly regarded at the program for his stint there as a player in the early '90s. The younger Howard didn't have as successful a Michigan tenure as his father, but he did establish himself as an exciting NBA prospect.

Selected to the 2022-23 All-Big Ten and All-Freshman teams, Howard impressed the most as a first-year player with his outside shooting, especially factoring in his 6-foot-8 frame - a rarity for a predominantly off-ball guard. His size gives him a unique defensive foundation at the NBA level, though he likely still needs to make substantial improvements on that end in order to stay in front of his opponents.

Bio

Position: Guard
School: Michigan
College Experience: Freshman
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 215 lbs
Wingspan: N/A
Max Vertical: N/A

2022-23 stats with Michigan

Strengths

• Great, multifaceted shooter; quick release and solid footwork allows him to excel in catch-and-shoot situations, even with defenders closing in.
• Can shoot threes and pull-up twos right over players thanks to the combination of his size and smooth shooting stroke.
• Works well as an occasional secondary ball-handler; good at hitting open teammates on drive-and-kick plays.

Weaknesses

• Can get streaky as a shooter. For example, he went 5-of-9 from deep against Iowa, then made one of his next 10 attempts over the following three games.
• Prone to one-on-one defensive lapses, usually due to poor foot speed and/or positioning or a lack of effort, which opponents can exploit.
• Doesn't rebound well or play around the rim as expected for a guard of his size.

NBA comparable: Devin Booker. Booker was a much more efficient 3-point shooter in college (41.1% to Howard's 36.8%), although Howard had nearly twice the attempts (7.3 per game to 3.8). Otherwise, their styles are notably alike. They aren't overly explosive athletes, instead establishing themselves as catch-and-shoot threats from beyond the arc. But they use their range to keep defenders on their toes with a solid off-the-dribble game where they can open up space for a pull-up or create for teammates as secondary playmakers. Booker has made strides in the latter skill since entering the league in 2015, and Howard has the potential to make similar progress in the right situation.