Juwan Howard is not at Michigan.
The Wolverines announced Friday that they are parting ways with the Fab Five legend. Howard has been the head men's basketball coach at Michigan State for the past five seasons.
“After a comprehensive review of the program, we have decided that Mr. Juwan will not return to coach men's basketball,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. “Juwan is one of the greatest Wolverines to ever be a part of our basketball program. I can't believe how much it means to him, not just to Juwan, but to all of us, to have him come back here to lead this program.” I know he meant it. Despite his love for his alma mater and the positive experiences our student-athletes have had under his leadership, we know the program has not met our expectations. It was clear we weren’t going in the right direction.”
Michigan went 8-24 in 2023-24 after finishing above .500 in Howard's first four seasons at the school. The Wolverines reached the NCAA Tournament twice during Howard's tenure, posting an 87-72 record.
The Wolverines ended the 2023-24 season with nine straight losses. The team's last win was against Wisconsin on February 7th, and its season ended with a 66-57 loss to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday. The nine-game losing streak that ended the season became three consecutive losses with five or more losses.
It was a tumultuous season off the court as well. Former strength coach John Sanderson left the school after the December showdown with Howard and is now at Illinois. Sanderson's separation settlement with Michigan reportedly included a confidentiality clause.
The confrontation came after Juwan's son, Jace Howard, allegedly got into an argument with a trainer. Jace Howard was unable to play this season until January 15th due to a stress fracture in his foot, but Sanderson elaborated on his position in an email to Manuel the next day.
From The Athletic:
Sanderson wrote that Jace Howard “reprimanded” the trainer and caused a “scene” that caused several players to stop and watch. Sanderson described the scene as “completely out of control” and said his trainer was trying to calm Jace Howard and discuss the matter privately. Noticing that the trainer was becoming increasingly desperate and “panicked,” Mr. Sanderson intervened, yelling at Mr. Howard from approximately 30 feet away: “You're a student-athlete and he's a professional. You don't talk like that to a professional. It's disrespectful, and rightly so.” He said he repeatedly called the abuse “disrespectful.” .
Sanderson wrote in an email to Manuel that he tried to de-escalate the situation and tried to turn his back and walk away. When Sanderson turned around, he said Juwan Howard came toward him, “angry and ready to fight,” and yelled at him repeatedly as players and staff held him back.
Juwan Howard also missed the first 10 games of the season after undergoing heart surgery in September. Howard returned to the sidelines on December 16 after Phil Martelli served as the team's interim coach.
Howard returned to Michigan State after serving as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat from 2013 to 2019. He played the final three seasons of his 19-year NBA career with the Heat after being selected by the Washington Wizards with the fifth pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. The Chicago native played three seasons at the University of Michigan and turned pro after graduating after his junior year. Michigan reached the Final Four in Howard's first two seasons, but lost in the Elite Eight in 1994.
