Michigan guard Nimari Burnett ‘leads by example’

Michigan men’s basketball hasn’t been the most consistent team in the country, but a few players have been steady. Senior guard Nimari Burnett has been the latter, averaging 10.1 points per game, including a four-game stretch from Dec. 29 – Jan. 12 in which he scored 17, 16, 17 and 16, respectively. 

Burnett is also Michigan’s leading three-point shooter (minimum 20 attempts), putting them down at a clip of 42.7 percent.

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Nimari Burnett proving to be consistent for Michigan basketball

Burnett hasn’t scored as much as usual the past two games (combined 12 points), but the Wolverines seem to play well with him on the floor. Michigan assistant coach Justin Joyner said Burnett is much more than what people see on the hardwood. 

“If I could give one word for Nimari it’d be consistent,” Joyner said at a press conference Friday. “He’s just a consistent player, which is obviously the product we see on the floor, (but) he’s a consistent human being. He’s got a great attitude every day, he’s a great person, so for us, he’s a leader in a lot of ways, but I think the best way he leads is by example.

“… He’s a great model for younger players to look up to.”

BIG three from Nimari brings us within three points of Purdue, 53-50! 😤

We’ve got 7:39 to play pic.twitter.com/NVcyup6Ub4

— Michigan Men’s Basketball (@umichbball) February 12, 2025

If Michigan has had an achilles heel this season, most would agree it’s turnovers. Burnett has 27 giveaways this season, which is considerably less than the next closest player averaging at least 25 minutes per game (Vlad Goldin – 51). Burnett said he cares about the mental aspect of the sport.

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“Just doing everything that I possibly can and trying to win with literally everything, even in practice,” Burnett said Friday. “… I think if you have that mindset (of) doing it every single day at a consistent level, then ultimately you’ll be consistent.”

The Wolverines are set to take on Ohio State Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS.

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