Michigan basketball star suspended for violating curfew after wrecking car

University of Michigan basketball star Zavier Simpson, who wrecked a car that belongs to the family of the school’s athletic director, served a one-game suspension for breaking curfew that night, Wolverines coach Juwan Howard said Friday.

According to a police report obtained by MLive, Simpson wrecked a car belonging to the wife of athletic director Warde Manuel around 3 a.m. Jan. 26. The report also notes Simpson lied to police about his name -- he said his name was Jeff Jackson -- and if he was driving when the vehicle struck a street sign and utility pole hours after Michigan’s last-second loss to Illinois 12 hours earlier.

At a news conference Friday, Howard said the car belonged to the athletic director’s son, Evan Manuel, who is a student manager, the MLive reported.

Michigan officials announced Simpson’s suspension Jan. 27, the MLive reported, and the senior sat out the Wolverines’ game against Nebraska. Howard told reporters Simpson had violated a team policy but did not elaborate.

“That right there was something that he’s aware of, as well as all his other teammates. Being out at that time of the evening is not acceptable,” Howard said Friday. “We all have those type of rules that we have to abide by. That was something that I was not happy with at all whatsoever. I felt it was important that no matter who you are — if you’re my best player or the 15th player — there are rules that you have to respect.”

The Toyota RAV4 Simpson wrecked belonged to Chrislan Manuel, Warde Manuel’s wife, according to The Detroit News. Howard said the reason Simpson had the car was “personal."

“Actually that’s personal,” Howard told reporters. “That’s not something I think where it’s important for me to say whose car he should drive. That’s more where Zavier as well as the person whose car he’s driving, that’s a personal matter between those two individuals.”

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