Off the top of Tuesdays Defend the Block, I talked about the trajectories of Jed Howard and Kobe

Buffkin and just how quickly it happened from afar. This time last year, Howard was around

40th in the incoming freshman class rankings, while Buffkin was a sophomore who barely

played in his first season with the Wolverines. And now, in the aftermath, it has been awesome to see both of them

climbed to the top 15 of the NBA draft, and then in the immediate aftermath, return to places

that meant so much to them. For Kobe Buffkin, it was a return to Grand Rapids, and he went back

to his high school to celebrate and show love for those who saw him before most in this

basketball journey, while Howard was in Ann Arbor for much of this past week working out,

and as we'll hear shortly, wishing he could join into the first week of formal activities

for the 2023-20204 version of Michigan men's basketball. I was over at the PDC this week to get some

interviews with the newest members of the Wolverines. Those interviews are coming up in July.

Can't wait to share those with you. And sure enough, there was Jet. He was around. He was

present. He was willing and able to help, though again, he couldn't go on the floor. And considering

all of Joanne Howard's movement during Jett's upbringing, I'm sure

Ann Arbor is one of a handful of places he thinks of as home.

Ann Arbor is right near the top of that list.

Now the goal for Jet, for Kobe, is to try to create another home for Jet in Orlando,

for Kobe in Atlanta.

In the always changing world of the NBA, that is very much easier said than done, no matter

where you're drafted, both geographically and numerically. But the foundation is there and the

support from homes past very, very strong. It was awesome to catch up with Jed Howard. We'll have that conversation for you

in a bonus edition of Defend the Block coming up next. We're talking Michigan basketball. Welcome to

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