Juwan Howard's Name 'Gaining Traction' In NBA Circles
Michigan Wolverines head basketball coach Juwan Howard interviewed with NBA teams before accepting his "dream job" at U-M. According to one report, some NBA higher-ups aren't willing to take 'no' for an answer.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, one of the league's top insiders, tweeted today that Howard's name was "gaining traction within front offices."
“I've always been asked by friends and by family would I ever coach college basketball?" Howard said when he accepted the job. "My answer has always been there's only one job ... there's only one school that I would look back and pursue at the collegiate level. That's the University of Michigan.”
Howard ranked it the second biggest accomplishment in his life behind getting his degree at Michigan. When asked specifically about the NBA allure, he said his mind was only on his alma mater. Even when interviewing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, all he could think about was "Michigan, Michigan, Michigan.”
“When I get into something, I'm all in,” Howard said. “I try to learn, I try to grow with it, and I try to give it my best and my all. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there that are doubting the fact that I'm a first-time head coach. Well, you've got to start somewhere, don't you?”
Howard's son, Jace, is a freshman at U-M and will wear his father's No. 25. His other son, Jett, will be a junior at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy this fall and will very likely join his dad in Ann Arbor in two years.
In short, while it seems very likely that NBA teams will be interested in Howard, it seems highly unlikely that Howard would reciprocate ... especially now. He's recruiting at an extremely high level, and sources told us a few weeks ago his family was in the process of a permanent move to Ann Arbor.
Watch for more on this development in the hours to come ...
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Sign up for our newsletter, The Wolverine Now
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine, Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook