Michigan's second departure of the season is now official as Jett Howard will depart the program and prepare for the NBA Draft.

Howard confirmed the news in an interview with ESPN.

"This was a great learning year for me," Howard told ESPN. "It's what I needed. It taught me how to play within a pro-style offense and be effective, to get out of my comfort zone, and play with other good players."

Howard had an up-and-down season where he battled injuries through the majority of the season. He injured both of his ankles and did not play during the Wolverines' NIT Tournament.

"I've had both ankles nagging for a while, so my dad and the coaching staff agreed with the specialist that it's better for me to get to 100%," Howard said. "I was only 50-60% for most of the Big Ten. My dad being the coach he is was looking out for me and wanted the best for my health. He understands that ankles are tricky. I met with a specialist after the Big Ten Tournament and they wanted me to rehab for four to five weeks. Thank God it doesn't require surgery or anything like that."

Howard is expected to be a first-round draft selection according to most mock drafts.

---

Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards

Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer

Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @lucasreimink, @JaredHalus

Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify

Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube

Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram