The narrative of playing for his father is always going to follow Jett Howard throughout his time in college. However, nepotism isn't the reason why the youngest Howard was personally recruited by his father. Nor is it something out of goodwill, Howard is a player that can make a difference and his father has made it very clear that is why he is with the program.

Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Howard was asked about his youngest son's progression in the very little time the two have had to work with one another before departing for the European trip.

His work ethic is something that sticks out immediately.

"He's coming along very well," Howard said. "With freshmen, there's so much thrown at you so fast. Different terminology. Speed of the game, strength. And then, this is something that only a few had to deal with. Many of the vast majority of college basketball players have never experienced this: Playing for your father. That is not an easy transition. Not making excuses for him but he embraced it.

"You see a young man—like yesterday, I'm leaving and I was the last one to leave at like 6:30 yesterday and we didn't have practice. The guys had a nice little hill session. Then, I heard a ball bounce. I was like, man, who is in there? I peek in and open the door because I can't watch them work out and it was Jett. Jett is in there getting extra shots up."

Of course, there's always going to be growing pains during any player's freshman season. Adjusting to the game, the speed and the overall skillset of the competition, long gone are the days when basketball comes easy for any high school star.

For Howard, that adjustment is going to happen in time. It's clear that he will be needed this season, he'll just need some time.

"He's a young man, his skillset, what he has is what we need," Howard said. "We need him. He's a shooter, a playmaker, big wing playmaker. He's almost up to 6'8, 6-foot-7 legit. You play with shoes on it's 6'8. Stretch the floor. The key with him, 1% better, is at times he loves to make the play. What the play is, he wants to make the play for someone else. Trying to teach him to embrace being more aggressive offensively. He wants to make a play.

"Hunter is going to love playing with him. He had three-straight turnovers trying to get the ball to Hunter and two of the three he could've shot the ball. That's the unselfishness of Jett."