Juwann Howard new Michigan coach?
- Thread starter FELONIOUSMONK
- Start date
I tend to think this will be the Eddie, Sydney Lowe, Chris Mullin type of hire. Never ever bring a hometown hero home.
Taking a chance and making sure if Howard doesn't work out the financial hit won't hurt to much with the money the Wolverine Athletic Department has.
Also ( my opinion) expect Howard to help the Michigan MBB program bring in a few bucks because a favorite son was hired
If Juwann shows promise, expect that $2 mil to be moved upwards quickly.
Penny worked for the local Memphis AAU squad and had a ton of connections. Also, let's see how Penny coaches these kids too.
In fact, "worked for" might be too general. I believe it was his AAU squad.
Last edited:
To me it will come down to something really simple.....how motivated will a guy with $75 million in the bank be to work as long and hard as the working class coaches?
Juwan Howard holds the distinction of being the first NBA player to sign a $100+ million contract.
Juwan Howard holds the distinction of being the first NBA player to sign a $100+ million contract.
Last edited:
I thought they thought they were getting Brad Stevens or somebody like that?!
On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if Howard does a great job for them.
On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if Howard does a great job for them.
He has been coaching for the Heat the last 6 seasons, not like he has been hanging out at the beach.
Assistant coach working 7 months a year in the NBA is a lot different than a college HC.
Currently, he can hang out on South Beach all summer....not as a college HC.
Anyone feeling sorry for Michigan is mistaken....will they be Top 10 like they would have been if these kids returned....?? No, they could have been Top 3...
But even with the departures and Beilein leaving, they're left with these pieces.
2017 Isiah Livers #137 in rivals
2018 Colin Castleton #89 in rivals
2018 Brandon Johns #60 in rivals
2018 David Dejulius #97 in rivals
2018 Brazdekis was not in the Top 150, but is staying in the draft.
2018 Adrian Nunez , Brooklyn SF is a capable 3 point shooter.
2019 Cole Bajema #95 in rivals
This doesn't include the starting PG Simpson.
There will be a clear drop off and adjustment with Howard but anyone feeling like Michigan is a walk over, could be mistaken.
But even with the departures and Beilein leaving, they're left with these pieces.
2017 Isiah Livers #137 in rivals
2018 Colin Castleton #89 in rivals
2018 Brandon Johns #60 in rivals
2018 David Dejulius #97 in rivals
2018 Brazdekis was not in the Top 150, but is staying in the draft.
2018 Adrian Nunez , Brooklyn SF is a capable 3 point shooter.
2019 Cole Bajema #95 in rivals
This doesn't include the starting PG Simpson.
There will be a clear drop off and adjustment with Howard but anyone feeling like Michigan is a walk over, could be mistaken.
Your original comment was broad saying never hire the hometown star and chose the most recent worst examples. I agree let's see how Hardaway coaches but winning 22 in his first year and securing the number 1 class seems rather successful to me and he looks to be heading in the right direction to say the least. With this current class he could be Fred Hill and still make the tournament.
Still does not the change he fact that he continued to work when he did not have to do so.
No college experience.
No head coaching experience.
No recruiting experience.
Michigan screwed up.
No head coaching experience.
No recruiting experience.
Michigan screwed up.
I usually agree with most of what you post, but you took a long walk in this post from 'they could have been top-10, wait top-3' to 'they still have remaining peices and wont be a walk over.
They lost three starters, notably their three leading scorers and only double digit scorers, and also lost their head coach, their top assistant, and their top recruit. They lost their identity and are starting over.
I'm sure they have highly rated recruits that are sophs/juniors, but let's not act like we should all assume Michigan is a top 1/3rd of the conference team that we should assume a loss against
Just because you can pay more doesn't mean you should. I am sure that's a nice raise from his assistant role before.
There are no "working class" coaches in the major college basketball leagues. They are all millionaires.
I’m not sure Memphis hires Penny because he was a hometown hero as much as because they knew he’d bring Wiseman with him. The hometown thing probably helped but I doubt it was reason #1.
At this point, it has yet to be seen how much of a downgrade Juwan Howard will be from Jon Bellein.
At first take, most think Bellein level is unattainable. I would agree.
Nonetheless, these kids are teenagers. Howard has a lot of coaching experience, and is of the like of major basketball players. He can recruit on that.
Strong recruiting can outweigh minor coaching flaws.
Good luck to Juwan Howard. It would be nice if the BIG 10 was even a littttle easier for Rutgers, though.
At first take, most think Bellein level is unattainable. I would agree.
Nonetheless, these kids are teenagers. Howard has a lot of coaching experience, and is of the like of major basketball players. He can recruit on that.
Strong recruiting can outweigh minor coaching flaws.
Good luck to Juwan Howard. It would be nice if the BIG 10 was even a littttle easier for Rutgers, though.
Last edited:
The kids who left Michigan are not 1st rounders....I could argue they all need another year.
They have 5 Top 150 kids left on the roster and they still have Simpson. They're not dropping from Top 2 or 3rd at worse behind MSU to 8th or 9th.
Other than Maryland and Ohio State and maybe Indiana, they have the most Top.150 kids left on their roster. It's unproven, but it's still Michigan and still more talented than 80% of the B1G today.
Even if Howard is a work in progress, it's an NCAA team.
I dunno, we hired Eddie who had NBA head coaching experience and was an assistant in college.
I'll take it. Seems like a good guy so I'm happy for him, and from a competitive perspective, best case he has a major learning curve and worst case he's slightly better than Belein level good. He'll recruit very well. Maybe he'll cut into MSU's parade of studs and we can take them out one of these years.
With Michigan, they're going to get someone high on their list. They're not going to hire someone completely uninspiring; our hope is that they hire someone with more than a marginal chance of failing spectacularly… well here he is
With Michigan, they're going to get someone high on their list. They're not going to hire someone completely uninspiring; our hope is that they hire someone with more than a marginal chance of failing spectacularly… well here he is
College basketball is all about out working your opponents. NBA guys (coaches and players) have a hard time doing that. Some work hard but coaches it’s such a change from the NBA. Need to coach the fundamentals a lot and relentlessly recruit (two things NBA guys don’t do). No doubt he will get recruits at first but if he doesn’t capitalize, things can go south quick.
That's true, but you said "Never ever bring a hometown hero home." I guess what you meant was: Never ever bring a hometown hero home unless they worked for the local AAU program and have a ton of connections and their basketball celebrity is so large that they have multiple Nike shoes named after them despite not playing in an NBA game in over a decade.
IIRC, a few years ago Penny joined a program called Bluff City Legends, whose Director was DuJuan Taylor. Penny then became the Director and coach of the 17U team. When that happened they joined the Nike EYBL and the program changed its name to Team Penny. When he was hired by Memphis he had to end his involvement with the program and it went back to being called Bluff City Legends.
At least that is how I remember it.
Because they weren't bad for a decade prior to Beilein.
They definitely had some bad seasons. A couple of them in a row but Tommy Amaker also had some 22 and 23 win seasons. Won the NIT one season and was runner up the next season. He had one season that they were 10-6 in the B1G. Unfortunately they were more likely to be 8-8 or 4-12 than be 10-6 or better.
Howard has never been a head coach anywhere. Jordan was a head coach in the NBA and we see how that turned out
This is a valid point. The staff Howard hires is going to be CRUCIAL. Let's say, just for argument sake, that Howard turns out to be a pretty good head coach. In HM D1 basketball there is so much more to being the head coach than coaching and recruiting.
First there are a TON of rules Howard will need to learn and avoid violating. One of them is how many hours per week he can even provide instruction to his players (very easy rule for a NBA guy to violate). Then he's got to run the program.
For example, the NCAA won't send him a basketball schedule. He'll have to come up with OOC games that will put butts in seats in Crisler Arena. Can he do that?
Oh and the booster clubs that want so much of a head coach's free time. The weekly radio and TV shows that take up time that he'd probably rather spend watching video of Michigan's next opponent. The fundraiser's he'll have to attend. The football games that, he'd probably rather not be at, but will have to show his face at from time to time.
I could go on but there is a ton of stuff that HM D1 basketball coaches have to do that has zero to do with helping his team be better today than it was tomorrow. He'll have to find a way to handle that because in the NBA it is all basketball and the job he is stepping into ain't that.
A good would be trying to retain 1 or 2 assistants who can just continue with their recruiting....the 3rd assistant may be headed to Texas....so, it may be a bidding war if they want to retain the defensive coach specialist.
You're right, I did. But I think across sports... there are far more examples of hometown heroes coming home or a 2nd time and being bad than being good.
The truth is nobody knows how it will work out for 2-3 years.
Juwann Howard was an NBA Assistant for 5 years to a guy who is a pretty good coach. He learned some things there I'm sure.
He had a very solid career in the NBA and at Michigan.
He can tell a kid " I played in the League and I coached in the League so I know what it takes to get there ". That is very powerful.
Well spoken and articulate he'll make a great first impression
He's also selling Michigan a National Brand and a great University.
He'll get guys to go there I guarantee it.
Juwann Howard was an NBA Assistant for 5 years to a guy who is a pretty good coach. He learned some things there I'm sure.
He had a very solid career in the NBA and at Michigan.
He can tell a kid " I played in the League and I coached in the League so I know what it takes to get there ". That is very powerful.
Well spoken and articulate he'll make a great first impression
He's also selling Michigan a National Brand and a great University.
He'll get guys to go there I guarantee it.
