Throughout his first season coaching the Michigan men’s basketball team, Juwan Howard wasn’t shy about equating senior guard Zavier Simpson to Tom Brady.
From a leadership standpoint, the comparison was fitting. After taking over as the team’s starting point guard midway through his sophomore season, Simpson was the Wolverines’ unquestioned leader. Like Brady, Simpson was the heart and soul of the roster and an icon for the program itself. Seemingly every one of his teammates had a personal story about his intensity or work ethic.
“Well, when you have a guy like Zavier Simpson, and I have to start with him first because his leadership is special, you’re truly going to miss him,” Howard said during a Zoom call with reporters last week.