Duality of Jaelin Llewellyn’s play exposed under spotlight of expanded role

There’s a huge difference among returning to the court docket and “being returned” — graduate protect Jaelin Llewellyn truly is aware of that. 

Before the Michigan men’s basketball crew’s matchup with Illinois remaining Thursday, Llewellyn had seven games below his belt since returning from a season-finishing ACL damage a yr previous. And whilst Llewellyn took the court in the ones seven contests, the player who confirmed up became a feeble version of himself. The savvy veteran shield Llewellyn has been previously took a backseat, as a clean loss of believe in himself took middle degree.

But inside the opening half towards the Fighting Illini, Llewellyn didn’t just go back to the court — he was again.

For the primary time this season, Llewellyn regarded in control, commanding his body rather than letting it command him. Going three-for-3 to score seven points in eight minutes, Llewellyn’s prowess while he’s at complete-electricity changed into clear.

“You can see flashes of it slowly coming,” Michigan educate Juwan Howard stated Thursday. “And what I imply by means of ‘what’s coming’ is playing at a healthy stage wherein you feel confident accessible. And there’s not anything like while you see the ball move inside the basket, your self belief level simply gets even better. When he had that four-factor play, I changed into extra excited for him than he became for himself.”

Drawing that 4-point play validated how essential it’s miles for Llewellyn to trust his body, and how useful it is able to be whilst he does. As the Wolverines trailed with the aid of 4 with 26 seconds remaining within the first 1/2, Llewellyn released the ball from deep, unfazed by using the Illinois defender blazing closer to him. Crashing to the ground, his eyes followed the ball sinking via the basket. Llewellyn pumped his fists and let loose a ferocious roar as the whistle sounded, signaling the and-1.

A sense of tenacity that hadn’t but surfaced this season overtook Llewellyn.

Llewellyn’s shining moment could have taken Michigan into halftime tied, despite trailing the Illini for the whole first half. But the important thing phrase is may want to. Although his 3-pointer made it a one-possession sport, missing the ensuing unfastened throw bailed out Illinois and salvaged its gain.

And even as Llewellyn returned to motion inside the 2d 1/2, he wasn’t the same player who took the court earlier inside the contest. Instead, he was the player who took the court docket in the seven prior video games. It become a player who had again, however wasn’t sincerely returned.

Against the Illini, Llewellyn’s 2nd-half of struggles might be mitigated with beginning sophomore shield Dug McDaniel taking almost all of the ballhandling responsibility. But that won’t continually be viable.

For the foreseeable future, McDaniel will continue to be in Ann Arbor while the Wolverines tour for avenue video games. With Michigan’s leading scorer and number one ballhandler off the board, Llewellyn will be inside and out of a starting function. So some distance, his performances were rocky.

When the Wolverines traveled to Maryland Jan. Eleven — Llewellyn’s first recreation starting — he came out robust, leading Michigan’s first-half of scoring with eight points. But further to Thursday’s recreation, he struggled in the 2d half of, going 0-for-five. On Tuesday in opposition to No. 2 Purdue, Llewellyn will try and put together a complete sport.

“(Llewellyn) has quite a few information obtainable,” sophomore forward Tarris Reed Jr. Stated. “Knowing that we’re not going to have Dug for away video games, he has to step up. So he has no choice, and we all trust him.”

On Thursday, that consider wasn’t usually palpable, though. After filling his stat line with best shooting within the first half, he delivered just two matters to it in the second: one non-public foul and one turnover.

In a game where Michigan devoted 18 fouls and nine turnovers, those blemishes may want to have gone below the radar. But they weren’t simply “blemishes.”

Following a seven-point scoring spurt for the Wolverines, Illinois inbounded the ball nursing a unmarried-factor advantage. Llewellyn turned into stuck lacking as Illini guard Justin Harmon penetrated the important thing, changing on an open layup. Llewellyn couldn’t do anything to accurate his misstep. Instead, he introduced gasoline to the fire, getting whistled for a bad and giving Illinois an and-1.

Thirty seconds later, Llewellyn discovered the ball in his hand, seeking to force the ball into the paint and generate offense. But as he crossed the 3-factor line, Llewellyn misplaced his footing, dropping manage of the ball. Pushing the short damage opportunity, the Illini transformed Llewellyn’s turnover right into a announcement dunk.

Llewellyn’s blunders may additionally have simplest been two knocks on Michigan’s stat sheet, but they amounted to 5 extra points on Illinois’.

A minute after, Llewellyn exited the ground — in no way returning within the very last 11 minutes of action. Benching Llewellyn for errors like that gained’t be possible for a good deal of the ultimate season. In street contests, there without a doubt aren’t different alternatives to supplement Llewellyn if he struggles.

That’s why accept as true with is so crucial for Llewellyn’s sport.

The Wolverines want to consider Llewellyn to rebound from isolated mistakes. Llewellyn has to agree with his personal body to handle the uptick in mins and physicality. And most importantly, Llewellyn needs to consider himself — now not to in reality return to the floor, however to “be again” on the court.

Because on Thursday, he tested both of these realities. And in flip, Michigan either reaped the rewards or paid the price. With McDaniel sidelined Tuesday, Llewellyn will go back to the beginning lineup.

But the question remains: Which model of him will show up?