Howard, Bufkin Selected in NBA Draft's First Round
6/22/2023 10:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
• Transcripts: Jett Howard Press Conference | Kobe Bufkin Press Conference
• 2023 NBA Draft
• Wolverines & Professional Basketball | #ProBlue
BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- For the third consecutive year, the University of Michigan men's basketball team had at least two Wolverines selected in the NBA Draft on Thursday night (June 22) as freshman guard Jett Howard was selected No. 11 overall by the Orlando Magic and sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin was chosen No. 15 overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2023 NBA Draft held at the Barclays Center.
Howard's decision to leave early for the NBA Draft made him the fifth Wolverines to do so. He joins former Wolverines Jamal Crawford (2000, No. 8 by the Chicago Bulls), Ignas Brazdeikis (2019, No. 47 by the Sacramento Kings), Caleb Houstan (2022, No. 32 by the Orlando Magic) and Moussa Diabate' (2022, No. 43 by the L.A. Clippers).
With 23 double-figure scoring games, Howard was second on the Wolverines with 14.2 points per game. Bursting onto the collegiate basketball scene, he scored 21 points, with five three-pointers in his debut against Purdue Fort Wayne (Nov. 7, 2022) to become the first U-M freshman to score 20-plus points in his debut since Crawford (21 - Oakland, Nov. 19, 1999).
Turning to 2023, Howard posted Michigan's best single-game tally of the season with 34 points at Iowa (Jan. 12) as he drained a career-best 12 field goals, including seven three-pointers. With his team-best 78 three-pointers, Howard recorded the ninth best total in a single season at U-M.
With 35 more three-pointers than the next Wolverines (Bufkin and Joey Baker, 43), Howard had the third most long-range buckets in the Big Ten. He finished with at least two triples in 24 of his 29 games with four games of five-plus. He added 2.8 rebounds a game and was third with 59 assists (2.0 apg).
In a highlighted freshman season, Howard was named to the All-Big Ten third team by the coaches while earning honorable mention from the media, as well as earning a spot on the All-Freshman team. Howard became the fifth straight, and 13th overall, U-M freshman to earn all-rookie team honors.
In a breakout sophomore season, Bufkin was named to the All-Big Ten third team by the coaches while earning honorable mention from the media. Starting 33 games, Bufkin used 24 double-figure scoring games to average 14.0 points per game -- nearly an 11 point jump from his freshman season -- which was third on the Wolverines. He scored a career-best 28 points against Wisconsin (Feb. 26), one of six 20-plus point games on the season.
Bufkin added 4.5 rebounds per contest as he had 14 games of five-plus rebounds, including a career-best 12 at Northwestern (Feb. 2), which helped him post his first career double-double (15 points). He was second on U-M with 96 assists (2.9 apg) and led with a team-best 43 steals. As a freshman, he played in 28 games off the bench averaging three points per game.
The NBA Summer League returns to Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion from July 7-17. All 30 teams will play 75 games over the 11-day competition with full coverage on ESPN networks or NBA TV.
NBA Draft Notes
• The two Wolverines selected Thursday helped U-M make it three straight years of multiple Michigan players selected after Franz Wagner went in the 2021 lottery at No. 8 (Orlando Magic), while Isaiah Livers was No. 42 (Detroit Pistons). In 2022, Caleb Houstan went No. 32 (Orlando Magic) and Moussa Diabate' went at No. 43 (L.A. Clippers).
• Howard (No. 11, Orlando Magic) and Bufkin's (No. 15, Atlanta Hawks) first-round selections are the first time two Wolverines were selected among the top 20 in the same draft in 29 years. In 1994, current U-M head coach Juwan Howard was the No. 5 pick by the Washington Bullets and Jalen Rose was chosen No. 12 by the Denver Nuggets.
• With Jett Howard's selection at No. 11 (Orlando Magic), he becomes Michigan's 19th NBA Lottery selection (picks 1-14). The last Wolverine pick in the lottery was Wagner in 2021 (No. 8; Orlando Magic).
• The NBA Draft selections of Howard and Bufkin mark the 17th time Michigan has had multiple players selected during the same draft. The last time U-M had two-or-more selections was last year, when Houstan (No. 32, Orlando Magic) and Diabate' (No. 43, L.A. Clippers) were drafted.
• Juwan and Jett Howard become the 97th NBA father-son duo.
• The Howards are the first father-son duo to play at U-M and in the NBA.
• The Howards are among six NBA father-son duos with Michigan ties, joining: Tim and Tim Jr. Hardaway, Earle (ABA) and Sean Higgins, Glen and Glen Jr. Rice, Glenn and Glenn III Robinson and Jimmy Walker and Jalen Rose.
Michigan NBA Draft Facts
• NBA Draft selections (67)
• Since 2011: U-M has had 17 selections (11 first-round, six second-round)
• No. 1 selections (2): Cazzie Russell (1966l New York Knicks) and Chris Webber (1993, Orlando Magic)
• Top-5 selections (6): last: 1994; Juwan Howard, Washington Bullets (No. 5)
• Lottery selections (19): last: 2023, Jett Howard, Orlando Magic (No. 11)
• First-round selections (31): last - 2023, Jett Howard, Orlando Magic (No. 11); Kobe Bufkin, Atlanta Hawks (No. 15)
• Multiple Wolverines selected in same draft (17 times); Last - 2023, Jett Howard (No. 11, Orlando Magic); Kobe Bufkin (No. 15, Atlanta Hawks)
Michigan NBA 2022-23 Season Notes
• Michigan had nine former Wolverines play during the 2022-23 NBA season: Moussa Diabate' (L.A. Clippers), Tim Hardaway Jr. (Dallas Mavericks), Caleb Houstan (Orlando Magic), Caris LeVert (Cleveland Cavaliers), Isaiah Livers (Detroit Pistons), Jordan Poole (Golden State Warriors), Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat), Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic) and Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic)
• Michigan had seven former Wolverines play during the 2022-23 G League season: Trey Burke (Stockton Kings), Eli Brooks (Fort Wayne Mad Ants), Chaundee Brown Jr. (Austin Spurs), Zak Irvin (Grand Rapids Gold), Charles Matthews (Windy City Bulls), Zavier Simpson (Osceola Magic) and D.J. Wilson (OKC Blue).
• Duncan Robinson helped the Miami Heat reach the 2023 NBA Finals. It is the second time in his five seasons he has gone on to the Finals (2020, '23).
