Jaelin Llewellyn nearing full return, eager to make an impact

Jaelin Llewellyn’s season went far from planned last year. In just his eighth game of the season — and eighth in a Michigan uniform after transferring from Princeton — he tore his ACL after landing on a shot attempt.

While such an early season-ending injury meant he barely got time to get his Michigan career rolling, it came with what he called a “silver lining” at Michigan Media Day on Tuesday. With his season cut short so early, he didn’t lose eligibility by playing. That, along with having his 2020-21 season canceled at Princeton, means he’s technically entering his sixth season as a college basketball player. 

Safe to say, Llewllyn’s been around. 

He was around last year after his injury, supporting his teammates and continuing to learn the system. Now, he’s as close to fully around as possible. He still hasn’t been cleared for full contact yet, but with a big brace around his knee, Llewellyn is running drills with his teammates and preparing to play a role for the Wolverines. 

“Just taking every day as it comes and trying to be as healthy as possible,” Llewellyn said. “I’m not trying to rush anything, and I just want to feel good going into the season.”