Michigan Wolverines head basketball coach Juwan Howard has had his fair share of doubters, even going back to his playing days at U-M and in the NBA.

For Howard, though, those skeptics are fuel to the fire.

Following his All-American career at Michigan, he went on to play 19 years in the NBA, before becoming an assistant coach with the Miami Heat. When U-M came calling after John Beilein left in the spring of 2019, he picked up the phone, packed his bags and became a head coach for the first time in his career. Two years in, he's got a Big Ten regular-season title and an Elite Eight appearance — consistent with the theme that success follows him most places he's been.

"I’m getting chills, goosebumps right now because it was a great feeling, man; it was," Howard told Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles on their 'Knuckleheads' podcast, discussing winning the 2020-21 Big Ten title. "You can’t script it any better, being a student athlete here and being counted out by many — whether you’re being counted out by the hood or getting counted out by the media or getting counted out by your opponent. For us to accomplish what we were able to accomplish as student-athletes and, as a freshman, to go to the Final Four, that was strong.

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"And then now, fast forward — to be the head coach here at my alma mater when I’ve never been a head coach before. And then on the NBA level as an assistant for six years. Your critics — you’re going to have critics — and that’s a part of it. I’ve heard it like, ‘Man, he’s never coached before. This is a publicity stunt for Michigan. To hire a former Fab Fiver, it’s just going to sell tickets. Does he know how to coach at the collegiate level?’ And I’m like, ‘OK, I’ve got to prove myself. I’ve done this before.’

"I’ve also played basketball since I was six years old. If I recall, the ball is still orange, and it still takes five people to go out there and play on the offensive end and defensive end. I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here; I’m just going to also learn. I’m going to make mistakes as a coach; I’m human. I’m also going to have a growth mindset to be able to learn, but we’re going to be competitive."

Ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, Michigan was ranked No. 25 in the preseason Associated Press poll and picked by the media to finish sixth in the Big Ten.

Not many outside the program believed the Wolverines, who were tasked with replacing star guard Zavier Simpson and standout center Jon Teske, two team captains, would show much improvement after posting a 19-12 record the year prior.

Inside the program, there was belief, and it started with a summer meeting, when each Wolverine had a choice to make.

"This year, we were fortunate enough to win the Big Ten championship," Howard began. "And I had told the guys back in June when we first came back to start training, trying to have a season while this pandemic was going on, ‘Yo man, when we step in this gym, we’re fighting for three championships — Big Ten, Big Ten Tournament and NCAA. Any of you don’t believe it, let me know now. I will find another school for you, and I will make up a story just to say, hey, you decided to transfer because you feel that this is not the place for you. But I’m going to let you know this, we’re not for everyone. I’m going to make you guys uncomfortable. Are you willing to be uncomfortable?'

"And they all bought in, the staff was on board and — from day one — we were building to win championships, and it was ingrained in our minds and we believed it. That’s where, as the season started to progress and then we started to catch a little fire, we had good health on our side … Our second game we played at Maryland on New Year’s Eve, the 31st, when we won that game at Maryland, I think that’s when maybe the staff started believing that we had something.

"I had belief in it from day one — maybe somebody would think I was crazy or I was unrealistic — but I said, ‘We’ve got enough here.’ And to be able to share that moment now with our guys and dancing and winning the Big Ten championship, and for my son [freshman guard Jace Howard] to be there … He’s the one that hyped me up, he started doing the cabbage patch [dance]. Let’s get it! Let’s get it! My son hyped me up, man."

The Wolverines were without star forward and captain Isaiah Livers, the team's second-leading scorer and an elite shooter, during the NCAA Tournament, but the belief was still there. No. 1-seeded Michigan advanced further than any other Big Ten team, making it all the way to the Elite Eight before falling to UCLA in a heartbreaker.

"The bubble, it’s like, let’s go, let’s make the best out of this bubble,'" Howard said. "And that’s another thing, too — this bubble, we’ve got to embrace this like it’s your condo or your apartment. I had our guys making up their beds, changing their sheets ever week, your linens. You’re about to get comfortable here. We’re not going to get excited about going back to our dorms or our apartments.

"I told my wife, ‘You’re not going to see me until six weeks from now, so get used to it. Let’s go. I’m locked in. Let’s go.’"

Year three is right around the corner, with the Wolverines set to open things up at Crisler Center against Buffalo Nov. 9. Howard and Co. are considered a preseason top-10 team by most, no longer flying under the radar.

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