New Michigan head coach Juwan Howard's first full staff with the Wolverines is complete, with the school announcing today that Saddi Washington, Phil Martelli and Howard Eisley will serve as his three assistants.
All three of them have signed two-year deals with the Wolverines, and hold an option for a third year.
Washington is the lone holdover assistant from the John Beilein era (though strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson was also kept), with former assistants DeAndre Haynes and Luke Yaklich departing for Maryland and Texas, respectively.
"When I took this job, I told everyone I was looking to fill the staff with experienced basketball coaches who are egoless, hardworking and ones that will help our young men grow both on and off the court — I feel I have done that," Howard said today.
"Phil is so highly respected in the sport of basketball — on every level — it is an honor that he has decided to join us. He brings such a wealth of knowledge and creativity which I know will be beneficial as we move forward.
"Howard and I have known each other for a long time. We have competed against each other and risen up the NBA coaching ranks together. It's going to be great to finally be working and collaborating together.
"Observing what Saddi has accomplished over his last three years has been just amazing. His versatility and coaching style resonates with kids and that will be valuable. I am so pleased he decided to remain on our staff.
"I cannot wait to get started on this journey."
Martelli spent the last 24 years as the head coach at Saint Joseph's, compiling a record of 444-328 there.
He also set the school record for wins in a season with 30 in 2004, won six Atlantic 10 regular-season titles, three conference tournament championships, and took his club to the NCAA tournament (including an Elite Eight appearance in 2004 and the Sweet Sixteen in 1997) seven times and the NIT six times.
Despite his prolonged success with the Hawks, the school fired him this past March.
Eisley, meanwhile, spent the last 10 years in the NBA, working as an assistant coach with the Clippers (2010-14), Wizards (2014-16) and Knicks (2016-19).
He was also a teammate of Jalen Rose's at Detroit Southwestern High School during his prep days, before becoming a four-year starter for Boston College from 1991-94, and the eventual 30th overall pick of the Timberwolves in the 1994 NBA draft.
Washington, finally, was hired by Beilein prior to the 2016-17 campaign and has coached U-M's big men over the last three years.
He helped turn Moe Wagner into an All-Big Ten performer and the 25th overall selection in the 2019 NBA draft, D.J. Wilson into the No. 17 overall pick in the 2018 edition and current center Jon Teske into the defensive menace he is today.
All three assistants gave brief comments about how excited they are to be a part of Howard's staff, beginning with Martelli:
"I am so appreciative for the opportunity to work with a rising star, Juwan Howard," the former Saint Joseph's coach said. "I was very humbled that he would reach out and ask me to join his first staff. I pledge that I will exhaust myself to make all affiliated with the University of Michigan proud."
"First of all, I want to thank Juwan and everyone at Michigan for having the confidence in me to make me part of this talented staff," Eisley chimed in. "Words cannot express how excited I am to be working with such great people at a first-class university. I am ready to hit the ground running and look forward to doing everything I can to help our program succeed at the highest levels."
"I'm extremely proud of the work I've been a part of here at Michigan, but I am also very grateful to Coach Howard for retaining me to continue," Washington added "There's a great and new energy around the program right now. I'm excited to get behind his vision for the program and assisting our players to be championship seekers on and off the court."
Michigan still has three open scholarships for next season following the early departures of freshman forward Ignas Brazdeikis, redshirt junior guard Charles Matthews and sophomore guard Jordan Poole.
It remains to be seen how those scholarships will be filled (if at all), though German prep shooter Franz Wagner (the younger brother of Moe) and Denton (Tex.) Guyer four-star small forward and former U-M signee Jalen Wilson remain candidates.
Howard's club will be faced with a difficult schedule right off the bat next season, hosting Creighton (on Nov. 12) and Oregon (Dec. 14) in non-conference showdowns at Crisler, while also traveling to Louisville (Dec. 3) and the Bahamas (Nov. 27-29) for a loaded Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament (a field that includes Alabama, Gonzaga, Iowa State, North Carolina, Oregon, Seton Hall and Southern Miss).
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