Michigan Basketball: 5 Wolverines who need to step up in 2022-23

Jace Howard

Last season, Michigan basketball had nine guys that played in 28 games or more. Right behind those nine guys was Jace Howard, who saw action in 15 games for the Wolverines.

And along with Hunter Dickinson, he’s going to be one of the most tenured players on the roster. Jaelin Llewellyn will be a senior next season and right now, he will be the only senior on the Michigan basketball team as Dickinson and Jace are juniors, along with Terrance Williams.

Jace is kind of the forgotten guy on this Michigan basketball team but he’s someone who can play a variety of roles as we saw last year when he was even defending Kofi Cockburn at one point.

It’s hard to gauge much on the offensive end. Howard has taken 21-career attempts and made nine of them but is 7-of-12 on 2-point attempts.

Yet, if the Wolverines don’t make any additions in the transfer portal, Howard will almost certainly have to see some minutes next season. He’s not ever going to be a superstar but he could be a versatile defensive piece and guy who could defend multiple positions.

Not everyone can be a superstar. You need those glue guys willing to do the dirty work and Jace could be that guy next season. If Diabate and Houstan return, there’s not going to be as many minutes but Michigan is short on guards and Jace is another combo-wing.

At the very least, if he could just provide a reliable defensive presence for the two and three, it would be a steadying, because the fact is, Michigan has 11 players committed for next season (Houstan and Diabate not included) and Jace would be one of four upperclassmen and seven non-freshman.

So depending how the roster shakes out over the next month, a contribution from him could be much-needed next season.