Former Holt basketball star brings his talents to the University of Michigan

A closer look into what a former Holt student is up to now

Photo Credit: Miggs Images

Jaron Faulds is a very familiar name around Holt, known for his achievements in basketball and his success in the classroom. Here is what Faulds is up to now.

Faulds was one of the best athletes that Holt had in a long time. In basketball, he was Holt’s all time leader in blocks, which helped him earn a three star recruiting grade and also become the 7th overall player in the state of Michigan in the 2017 recruiting class.

Faulds had many offers, but he decided to commit to Columbia University, a very prestigious ivy league school. His freshman year went well as Faulds averaged 4.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1 block per game. He was also second on the team in field goal percentage at 59.6%.

But after Faulds’ freshman year he decided to transfer to the University of Michigan, a school known for their excellent basketball program and great academics.

“Columbia was a great experience overall, but I’m happy to have a great balance of academics and athletics at the University of Michigan.” said Faulds.

Columbia is a very prestigious academic school, but Michigan’s competitive basketball program, along with some of the best academics in the state, makes it a comfortable place for their athletes. These opportunities made transferring a smart decision for Faulds.

“It’s also more convenient for my family, who only needs to drive 1 hour to visit me rather than 11 hours,” Faulds said.

Since Columbia is in New York, it makes it extremely hard for Faulds’ family to see him, so transferring to Michigan not only helped Faulds but it helped his family too.

One of the challenges he faced after graduation was the jump from high school to college basketball.

“Everyone is athletic in college and everyone was one of the best players on their high school team. In college you can no longer rely on your athleticism alone to be successful in basketball. You need to learn the game and develop your game IQ in addition to your strength and skills,” Faulds said.

Faulds was one of the best basketball players to come through Holt, but most of the other players in college basketball were also the best players on their high school team. Faulds isn’t just playing against the students who tried out for their high school team anymore. Instead, he’s playing against some of the best basketball players across the country.

“Coach Essell’s defensive drills really helped prepare me for college. There’s a huge emphasis on defense in college and Coach Essell did a great job teaching it,” Faulds said.

Matt Essell, Holt’s former varsity basketball coach, stood out the most to him, but there were many people that helped Faulds prepare for the jump from high school to college.

Said Faulds, “I miss my coaches and teammates. We bonded and fought through a lot of adversity together and will be lifelong friends because of it. I’ve stayed in touch with most of them so far and will continue to do so.”