Searching for a point guard to run the team, Michigan Wolverines head basketball coach Juwan Howard turned to the transfer portal for the second straight season, this time plucking fifth-year senior DeVante' Jones, the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year, from Coastal Carolina.

The New Orleans, La., native has been on campus since July, and has quickly ingratiated himself with the team.

"Just getting a lot of love from the students has been the main thing," Jones said, adding that he's loved the weather so far. "Walking around campus, having to sign autographs and take pictures, that’s a wonderful feeling, knowing that people know who you are.

"Basketball-wise, I love this group. There are no egos. We all know that we all can do great things on the court."

He said the team has national-championship aspirations, a reason why he chose the Wolverines over Texas, Memphis and others

Jones knows his role will be different than it was with the Chanticleers last season, when he scored 19.3 points per game and attempted 26.2 percent of the team's shots when he was on the floor.

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He played mostly off the ball last season, but will take on a role closer to the one he had in 2019-20, when he led the Sun Belt with 183 assists (5.7 per game).

"It’s been great," Jones said of the acclimation process. "I knew what I was getting myself into when I committed to Michigan. I have no problem with differing to other guys. I’ve got an All-American in [sophomore center] Hunter [Dickinson], I’ve got a great guy like [fifth-year senior guard] Eli [Brooks], one of the best freshmen in the country in [guard/forward] Caleb [Houstan], I’ve got [senior forward] Brandon Johns.

"So it’s really an easy transition for me, knowing I can pass the ball to guys I trust, knowing I can score the ball at a high level. I love it. I’m able to show my I.Q. and my passing ability. So that’s a good thing for me, actually."

Self-described as "6-foot-1 and not a great athlete," Jones is crafty. He uses his body well when he has the ball, has a high-level floater and utilizes his length and anticipation on defense to get his hands in passing lanes and force turnovers (he was fourth nationally with 2.7 steals per game last season).

"I feel like, with my body size, it doesn’t really affect me because I can use my body really well," Jones explained. "I’ve gotten comparisons to [Toronto Raptors guard] Fred VanVleet, so I just try to emulate his game, use my floater, be crafty. I can’t always get to the rim to shoot layups, so I’m working on my three-ball.

"Just understanding the game, a lot of studying, watching a lot of film. It’s not really as hard as people think, but it’s also knowing that you’ve got to understand what the defense gives you, and how to take advantage of that."

While in the pre-2021 NBA Draft process, Jones went through multiple workouts with the Sacramento Kings in which Dickinson was also a participant. They also played together at the NBA G League Elite Camp, creating a great rapport.

"It’s fun. It’s crazy how I feel like we’ve clicked so early," Jones said of he and Dickinson. "We’ve only practiced with each other for a couple weeks. I know that if we keep working together and keep building that bond, we’ll be even better than ever.

"In practice, Hunter does a great job of telling me where he wants the ball, telling me to slow down or speed up or where he’s going to be. So we definitely got a lot of room to improve, but seeing where we’re at right now, it’s amazing."

The bond between Jones and Dickinson will play an important part in the team's success, with the Wolverines running a high amount of ball screens and post feeds. They're getting to know each other off the court, as well, and it's been eye-opening for Jones to see just how much Dickinson is loved by the fan base when out in public.

"The [second] football game was the night game [Sept. 11 against Washington]. I was out with Hunter," Jones explained. It felt like I was with [Los Angeles Lakers forward] LeBron [James]. Every time he walked around, people were taking pictures, wanted to get an autograph. I was proud of Hunter. That made me happy, just seeing my teammate get so much love, because he deserves it — All-American big. I was just happy for him, but I will never go out with Hunter again."

It's assumed that Jones will start in the backcourt alongside Brooks, who has been helping Jones as he gets used to life as a Michigan basketball player in Ann Arbor.

"Being around Eli, he’s like a captain, so we call him ‘The Professor.’ He’s seen a lot of things, he’s a leader and he understands that he’s been for a while," Jones explained. "So being able to pick his brain, trying to understand what I can do better — offensively, defensively — he does a great job helping me each and every day."

Jones is thankful he has the opportunity to play for Howard and the defending Big Ten champions, saying the culture was a big reason why he chose the Maize and Blue.

"Juwan Howard and his staff giving me this chance and giving me the keys to come in and take over this program and try to lead to a national championship, that’s an amazing feeling," he said.

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