The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2022 THE WOLVERINE 9 BY ANTHONY BROOME M en's basketball head coach Juwan Howard took his team to Europe Aug. 17‑26 for what he called an "edu‑ cational trip" not unlike what the foot‑ ball team has done under Jim Harbaugh. Overseas the Wolverines participated in a trio of exhibition games, learned about new cultures and looked to jell as a team heading into the 2022‑23 season. Michigan's 10‑day trip included stops in France and Greece to play games in mostly empty arenas. The first team they play in Paris will feature four for‑ mer NBA players, according to Howard. The itinerary on U‑M's trip to France included the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower. From there, they moved on to Athens, Greece, to see the ancient Acropolis and Olympic Stadium, while playing a Greek pro team in another exhibition. They closed out the trek in Mykonos, Greece, with their third exhibition. "We would love to see improvements with this team from where we were last year to where we're trying to go this up‑ coming season," Howard told the media prior to the trip. "I think it's great to have a chance to go. We'll use it as an educational trip, because, in my opin‑ ion, some of the best education is in travel. "I feel this is a wonderful opportunity for our guys to measure where we are at this moment in time and see what areas we can improve on as we look forward to this upcoming season." Each player that makes the trip will have the opportunity to suit up and play in the exhibition contests. The NCAA permits an overseas trip every four years. U‑M's last overseas trip was to Spain in 2018. "Everyone will get a chance to play," Howard said. "That's the beauty of this summer. We've been working hard. Guys have been putting in the time, whether it's on their own when we're not allowed to be together as a team or when we are together as a team — whether it's in the weight room, getting stronger and faster or whether it's hitting the gym and get‑ ting extra work on their offense. "When they're with us, they are de‑ veloping what is asked of them and what their roles will be. It's nice to see all the different lineups we'll throw out this summer, all the rotations and ev‑ eryone getting a chance to play. I can see how this team could look like. "When we come back from this three‑game trip, we have September to get a little four‑hour work in per week before we have our first practice." The sightseeing and relaxation will have its benefits, but the work against pro basketball players is something Howard hopes his team can bring into the 2022‑23 campaign. "It's great to get a chance to play against experienced guys that are pro‑ fessional men," Howard said. "We have a lot of younger guys on this year's team with five incoming freshmen. I think that's why this summer is a very critical time for us to add to our culture. "Our culture is family first. When you're away from your main family members that you have spent your lives with and get a chance to be with guys that you call your extended families, your brothers, for 10 days, this is the best buy‑in you could ever get." This has been Howard's first "normal" offseason at Michigan after his hiring in 2019 and two straight offseasons of CO‑ VID‑19 alterations. Now that everything is normal, he and his team are looking forward to the extended work. "Thank God, we are past those CO‑ VID restrictions that we had before. The last two years, we were limited with how many guys we could have in the gym at one time. Now we can have our entire team on the court at one time." ❏ Inside Michigan ATHLETICS Men's Hoops Goes International To Close Out Summer The Michigan basketball European "summer tour" began in Paris in mid-August, where the team saw the sights including Notre Dame Cathedral, which is still under construction after a devastating fire in April 2019. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS