His name might sound familiar, but he’s looking to create his own legacy. The rising talent with a basketball pedigree is Jett Howard— a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from NSU–University School in South Florida.
Howard, the son of NBA veteran and current Miami Heat assistant coach Juwan Howard, is wrapping up a successful first year with University School. On a team loaded with talent, Howard carved his way into the starting lineup, helping the No. 18 team in the country (via USA TODAY) to a state title and an invitation to the GEICO Nationals in New York City.
I spoke with Howard about some of his goals moving forward.
1) Who are you running with for AAU?
Howard: I will be running with the Nightrydas. I ran with them for four years at first. And then I went to NIKE Team Florida for a year. I came back this year to play with Gregg (Glenn).
2) What are you expectations for AAU this season?
Howard: I want to win NIKE Peach Jam 15u for sure, and then go to Vegas Fab 48 and win that. I feel if we win those two tournaments, we should be the best team in the country.
3) What is the greatest strength in your game right now?
Howard: Probably shooting. I have been doing it since I was little and it comes natural to me.
4) What do you want to improve over the course of the AAU season?
Howard: Definitely getting to the hole easier, because right now I feel I can’t absorb contact the way I want to. That is one of the things I want to work on.
5) Is there a player you look forward to playing against or a teammate you enjoy playing with?
Howard: To play against, I want to play against Emoni Bates. He is one of the best, if not probably the best, freshmen right now. To play with, is definitely Gregg Glenn.
6) Are you doing anything off the court to improve your game?
Howard: I have been doing a lot of weight training. The team has weight training every Tuesday and Thursday. That has really helped me get stronger throughout the year.
7) What has playing with Vernon Carey Jr., Scottie Barnes, and Roger McFarlane taught you?
Howard: It has taught me to move without the basketball and not just stay in one spot. It also has taught me to fight through constructive criticism. You are definitely going to have times where they get mad at you.
8) Has your dad given you any advice for AAU?
Howard: Yeah, he told me to focus and not try to play around as much.
9) What was a turning point for you this season?
Howard: I think probably the Sunrise Christian (KS) game when we played on ESPN. My brother (Jace) was hurt, so that gave us some more opportunity on the offensive end. I seized that opportunity.
10) Is there a player you like to model your game after?
Howard: I try to model my game after Jayson Tatum. There are a lot of different players. Ja Morant (Murray State) is one of them. There are a lot of different guys. Jayson Tatum is one for sure.
11) How excited are you for GEICO Nationals?
Howard: Man I am really excited; it should be an amazing experience. I am just going to try to show people why I am one of the best players from my freshman class. I am just going to try and do my best.
12) What is your current status for college recruitment?
Howard: I have had a few interests from Iowa and Tulane. As far as other offers I haven’t really got any, but hopefully this summer I will get some offers. It is looking like just Iowa and Tulane for now.
Michael Costeines is a contributor for Mars Reel based in South Florida
