The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2022 THE WOLVERINE 45 MICHIGAN BASKETBALL happy with the defensive numbers last year. That's something I take [respon- sibility for] and don't give all the blame to the players. "I'm the first person. That's some- thing I can do a lot better to prepare them, whether it's defensive schemes, teaching, or technique and preparation." He also expects several to make indi- vidual leaps. Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn will likely start at the point, and he brings everything you're looking for in a point guard, Howard said. The backcourt is wide open after the depar- tures of DeVante' Jones and Eli Brooks, and sophomore Kobe Bufkin hopes to make the second-year leap at shooting guard after gaining 20 pounds. "I've seen a ton of growth from Kobe," Howard said of the 6-foot-4, 195-pounder. "He knows that there have been guys in our league that have made second-year jumps. "… Kobe looks at this as an opportu- nity for him, and he knows we are going to need him. He's going to get more of an opportunity to get more minutes. We're going to need not only just his offensive production, but his defensive production. [His progress] is not coach driven. This is Kobe driven." Junior forwards Terrance Williams II and Jace Howard will also have oppor- tunities for expanded playing time. "[Terrance] will have a bigger role. If you look at Terrance's freshman year to where he is now, you're like, 'Whoa.' This kid has reinvented himself," How- ard said "He got leaner and faster. He's going to be another one that's going to have a larger role. "Jace Howard is as steady as it comes, but I've seen his midrange shot become a little bit more consistent instead of just being a guy that just could shoot spot-up threes. He's a guy that can be comfortable with the ball in his hands and make good decisions with so many guys that can go off." Freshman Jett Howard, Jace's brother and Juwan's youngest son, should fill the shooting void, while sophomores Will Tschetter (power forward) and Isaiah Barnes (wing) both stayed in the summer to work on their games. "They have made drastic jumps in their game. The game has slowed down to them," Howard said. "… How we play has really become comfortable to them. They have done very well in the prac- tices that we were able to have." With four other talented freshmen in the mix and other veterans push- ing them, including another shooter in Duke graduate transfer Joey Baker (coming back from surgery), there are plenty of options. Now it's about put- ting the pieces together, a job Howard and his coaches embrace. — Chris Balas FRESHMAN YOUSSEF KHAYAT IS READY TO JOIN HIS TEAMMATES Michigan will add five freshmen to the team this year, including yet another in- ternational standout in Youssef Khayat of Lebanon. The 6-foot-9 wing was one of five foreign players head coach Juwan Howard identified who he thought could help his team — but he got especially excited when Khayat told him he was leaning toward playing college ball. Other schools were very interested, as well. Howard, though, made him a pri- ority, and his perseverance landed him what should be a huge piece to a young and talented team. The coach's eyes lit up when asked about his new addition. "Youssef is a very dynamic and big- ger wing," Howard said of Khayat, who has played in France the last few years. "I say bigger because he's like 6-9ish, close to almost 6-10. He's very ath- letic. He can shoot the ball from the outside and stretch the floor. You can play him at multiple positions because of his versatility. "I'm excited about the athleticism. He also is a high IQ player, too. That's very valuable when you have a guy who you didn't get a chance to watch him in person … but I watch games. It gives me an idea of like what type of player he really is." And he's a good one, which is clear on film and in person. Howard started pursuing Khayat when freshmen Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate decided to keep their names in the NBA Draft, knowing he'd have two available scholarships. Right away, he said, he identified that Youssef was their guy and that he fit the culture. That's been a theme in everyone he's recruited. The latest crop of freshmen are salt-of-the-earth people as well as great ball players, and Khayat also fit that bill. "There were a few international pros- pects that I was looking at, at the time. Youssef stuck out to me — 'This is the guy,'" Howard continued. "I talked to him the first time, hearing that college was an option. I breathed and settled down a bit … 'It's time to roll up my sleeves.' I had to share with him about how he fits with the Michigan culture, share with him about the Michigan ex- perience — that's from academics to Ann Arbor as a whole as far as what we have to offer." Khayat was sold, and the wing player — who goes by the nickname "Yo-Yo" — is excited to join Howard and company in Ann Arbor. He was expected to join the team in time for the mid-August European trip. "We haven't had him practice yet, but what he presents from the skill level, which I just touched on earlier, is that we need him," Howard said before the trip. "There's a difference between needs and wants, sure. We want every- thing in life, but when you need some- thing, that's a big difference. That's how I identify it. That's my definition." Both wanted and needed, Khayat fig- ures to be a big part of some talented teams over the next few years. — Chris Balas 2022-23 MEN'S BASKETBALL NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE Date Opponent Nov. 4 Ferris State (exhibition) Nov. 7 Purdue Fort Wayne Nov. 11 vs. Eastern Michigan^ Nov. 16 TBA (vs. Arizona State, Pitt or VCU)* Nov. 17 TBA (vs. Arizona State, Pitt or VCU)* Nov. 20 Ohio Nov. 23 Jackson State Nov. 29 Virginia% Dec. 4 vs. Kentucky# Dec. 17 Lipscomb Dec. 21 vs. North Carolina$ Dec. 30 Central Michigan ^ at Little Caesars Arena, Detroit * at Legends Classic, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y. % ACC/Big Ten Challenge # at London Showcase, O2 Arena, London, England $ at Jumpman Invitational, Spectrum Center, Charlotte, N.C.