Michigan Basketball: Juwan Howard isn’t going anywhere

Juwan Howard had never formally been named a head coach in his career until he was hired to do just that for a Michigan basketball program in need.

Before becoming the David and Meredith Kaplan Men’s Basketball Head Coach, Juwan Howard sat next to Erik Spoelstra as an assistant on the Miami Heat staff.

Howard is one of the lucky ones. He was coming to the end of his playing career with the Heat and knew exactly what he wanted to do: coach basketball. The former Michigan basketball player was widely known as a mentor in his latter years and a leader throughout, so coaching became the obvious career move for the college and NBA legend.

For years, Juwan interviewed for head coaching gigs at various NBA organizations. He knew he always wanted to come back to his alma mater, but that job was secured by a man no one thought would be leaving soon.

Still, Juwan went about his life hoping one day to succeed the great John Beilein when John eventually threw in the towel.

The day Beilein announced he was headed to the Cleveland Cavilers, Juwan sprung into action. Doing everything he could to get his resume in front of Athletic Director Warde Manuel.

It wasn’t a lonely endeavor, Juwan’s friends from the Fab Five era reached out as well, and eventually, Howard became the front runner.

Now, after a successful season as the man in charge, Juwan’s name is being thrown freely around as a candidate for jobs at the next level. The same jobs he had interviewed for in the months and years prior to landing in Ann Arbor – for the second time.

“ESPN Sources: A possible NBA coaching candidate whose name is gaining traction within front offices: Michigan coach Juwan Howard. Howard has an obviously strong resume as a player and later an assistant under Erik Spoelstra. He interviewed for Lakers, Cavs before taking UM job,” NBA insider Adrien Wojnarowski wrote in a tweet.

This kind of attention-getting tweet might have merit. Juwan was considered by many as a future NBA head coach and likely still is, maybe even more so, but if you watched Juwan’s first press conference since taking over for the Wolverines, you’d know, he’s no longer interested. Juwan has his dream job.

In the future, think about these sporadic name tossings as we do for Jim Harbaugh. Every now and then a “news outlet” will say that NFL administrators have been in touch with Jim Harbaugh’s agent and that he’s interested in leaving Ann Arbor.

First off, Jim doesn’t have an agent and even if he did, Harbaugh has no interest in heading back to the league. He’s been there and done that.

Harbaugh is known to reach out to the families of recruits when these reports inevitably show up, and he usually does so very quickly. Juwan, it seems, took a page out of the Harbaugh playbook.

“There was a report of my name as a potential candidate for NBA coaching opportunities,” he said. “While I am flattered, and know it will more than likely happen again, I am not exploring, seeking or listening. I am the head coach at the University of Michigan.”

Juwan Howard isn’t going anyway.