Jett Howard is now the second member of his family to reach the NBA.
Howard, the son of former NBA player and current Michigan coach Juwan Howard, was selected by the Orlando Magic with the No.11 pick in the NBA draft on Thursday.
Howard proved in high school and in college that he is more than just his father’s son, though. After joining a powerhouse University School team that included current NBA players Scottie Barnes and Vernon Carey Jr. and fellow first-round pick Taylor Hendricks, Howard grew into a strong player. He averaged 15.6 points per game as a sophomore.
“Jett had stardust on him,” former U-School coach Jim Carr said. “He was a kid with the pedigree of being (Juwan Howard’s son), and he was always an elite scorer in every age bracket he was in. His offensive skills were always advanced for his age. And he had a confidence about him. Like he definitely had a swagger.”
Before his junior season, Howard transferred to Bradenton powerhouse IMG Academy, where he spent the final two years of his high school career.
Howard, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound guard, joined his father at Michigan, playing one season with the Wolverines. He averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and two assists.
“The game just comes super natural to Jett, more so than I’ve seen for a lot of players,” former U-School assistant coach Yoni Afework said. “Scoring the basketball just comes easy. That, I think, is what makes him valuable and intriguing. … His size, his length — 6-7 dudes don’t move like that.”
Howard was the fourth former Broward County star to be drafted Thursday night, joining Amen and Ausar Thompson and Taylor Hendricks.
Staff writer Sam Sklar contributed to this report.
Michael Laughlin / South Florida Sun Sentinel
Former U-School star Jett Howard, left, shown scoring in a high school game on Jan. 25, 2019, was a first-round pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.
