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Duncan Robinson Discusses Juwan Howard and John Beilein On Ringer Podcast

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Former Michigan basketball player Duncan Robinson currently plays for the Miami Heat.
Former Michigan basketball player Duncan Robinson currently plays for the Miami Heat. (USA Today Sports Images)
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Former Wolverine Duncan Robinson has been having success for the Miami Heat in the NBA Summer League.

In the midst of his run in Las Vegas, he joined the Ringer’s Tate Frazier and former Buckeye Mark Titus on the “One Shining Podcast” Tuesday to discuss the state of Michigan basketball.

The trio discussed John Beilein leaving for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Robinson said he was not shocked by the news itself.

“I think it was a surprise in that the way the news was broken,” Robinson said on the podcast. “He did a really good job of keeping it under wraps. There were no rumors about applying or interviewing like last year with the Detroit stuff. That story kind of gained momentum. People wouldn’t have been surprised if he had been announced as the head coach [of the Pistons]. This was really kept under wraps.”

Beilein leaving for the NBA didn’t stun Robinson because he knows it’s the next step on the ladder for Beilein.

“So I was surprised in that respect, but I wasn’t surprised to see him make that jump just because having known Coach Beilein, played for him, he’s incredibly competitive and he’s had that upward trajectory his whole career. Starting as a JV high school coach, never being an assistant all the way up to high-major. It made sense for him to make that final [jump].”

After Beilein jumped to the Cavaliers, Michigan chose former Miami Heat assistant coach Juwan Howard as its next head coach. Robinson was coached by Howard this past season and is very familiar with the coach the Wolverines are getting.

Robinson said that when Howard was hired, his phone was blowing up with reporters trying to talk with him about Howard, since Robinson had the Heat connection.

“I’m really excited for Michigan basketball and Juwan,” Robinson said. “Juwan is a great guy. Obviously, his playing career speaks for itself, but he really knows what he’s doing from a coaching perspective as well. I think Michigan basketball is in really good hands.”

Robinson thinks that Howard will do a really good job on the recruiting trail for Michigan because he said what high school player wouldn’t want to play for Howard.

When Howard’s name was linked to the Michigan job, Robinson said he didn’t see a difference in Howard around the Heat facility.

“He was super laid back about the whole thing because he had his name in for some NBA jobs as well, the Cleveland job actually, the LA job,” Robinson said. “But I just remember during that whole process, his name kept popping up with the Michigan stuff, he was still in our facility lifting every day, working guys out like nothing was going on.”

Something was going on and when Howard did get the job, he displayed his passion for Michigan to Robinson.

“When I first saw him after he had become Michigan head coach, he was emotional to me,” Robinson said. “He was excited to me … He genuinely cares about the University. I think from a fan’s perspective, that’s all you can really ask for.”

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