Juwan Howard: Michigan Man Exemplar (Quick Story)
I was involved with a non-profit that helped Chicago youths that had been victims of gun violence.
For years, Juwan Howard ran a free basketball camp every summer in Chicago for Chicago Public Schools students that was not your typical basketball camp - there was intensive academic tutoring, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and some really great basketball instruction for those that wanted it (or just games for the less athletically talented). The camp was open to all skill levels and was mainly focused on high school kids/8th graders.
We had come across a student that was shot and paralyzed at age 4. At age 6, it came time for him to graduate kindergarten which he did. This kid was a basketball superfan to put it mildly. As a graduation gift, I wound up contacting Juwan (Michigan alum to Michigan alum) to ask if we could bring this young man to his camp for a day. He could not have been more accommodating and enthusiastic.
We arrived with the specialty paratransit vehicle and there was Juwan waiting outside of the gym with a glowing smile. He brought us in and wound up spending over half the day with this kid, teaching him how to dribble, getting a smaller basket to shoot on, etc. It was one of the more impressive acts of kindness I have ever seen.
To me, that sums him up. A natural born leader, someone who has a big heart and someone who has had a tremendous career. He really embodies all of the things we hold dear as a school and it would be a huge boost to land him. I personally hope we do.
Love Juwan's favorite memory of school - a 5 on 5 impromptu game outside S Quad. Is that court still there? More than anything, that story shows his heart bleeds Blue. That freshman year was epic. The snowball fight between S Quad and the fraternity on the corner made the paper. Oh to be able to do it all over again..... More happy than ever to have Juwan here.
I used to play on that court, but two years before the Fab Five. A lot of RS Freshmen football players played on that court & at least one member of the women’s team played with guys now & again. There were some high quality players & competitive games. The Ambatana lounge overlooked the court & there was some equally high quality cheering & heckling. Good memories...,
thanks for sharing :)
great story. thank you!
Sounds like a man with character and compassion. I remember people being down on the Beilein hire because he was a boy scout who couldn't recruit and might actually have a tournament run every four or five years. Juwan has been deeply involved in the game for a long time. He's good enough a coach to get NBA head coaching interviews. He knows Ann Arbor. And he has a heart..
I'll take my chances with him.
I'd rather hear about Shaka Smart's good works.
Is rather hear about Juwan keeping Yak and Saddi. Then let's go and kick some ass.
Thanks for this information. If Juwan comes on board, I will feel a lot better about it.
If we're gonna reach, and I don't know that he would be a reach, I'm fine with erring on the side of a guy like JH with his M roots and heart of gold.
All the Fab Five put in a lot of time at Motts as undergrads. I had a few opportunities to interact with Juwan as undergrads and even at 19 years old, he was nothing but class.
Regardless of whether Juwan lands as our coach or not, its great to see him giving to the community and making a positive impact. A wonderful alumni representative for Michigan and I'm wishing him the best wherever he winds up!
Great stuff. I'm starting to think that Juwan is the choice with the highest upside. He could be a huge recruiter, coupled with true leadership ability.
I’m sold.
Me too. That's true blue stuff.
Onward, Go Blue
I love it. GReat story. I'm feeling Juwan more and more now. He has been my second choice (I want M to make a hard run at Donovan first) but I would be psyched if he got the job. I think he would be able to continue the program with class the way Beilein did. Also like Beilein, - Juwan is a true student of the game, a hoops intellectual, which is what I want in a coach.
quick note saw him playing poker one year at Atlantis with some other b ball players gave him a go blue which he promptly returned
Jalen Rose was on espn radio this morning . He thought Juwan would be a great hire and would be astep forward t welcome some of the fab five back on campus
This account, as positively reflective of Juwan as it is, is only one of many such compassionate encounters Juwan has had with those less fortunate than he. Many will remember the young terminally ill cancer patient at Mott whom student-athlete Juwan befriended and visited regularly. Juwan served as a pallbearer at the young man's funeral.
In one sense such acts of kindness to others, even those done as many times as Juwan has done them, count for little in determining whether someone can coach college basketball. In another sense, however, such acts speak volumes about Juwan's character and his potential effect on the young men whom he'll coach and mentor into adulthood. That's got to count for something.
It should, especially for the anti-Machiavellian Michigan alumni.
1408>1201
By 207.
Couple things I'd heard that basically proves he honored his word to his grandmother who died the day he committed to Michigan.
Very early in their freshman year a classmate asked Juwan if he would like to study together. Rumor was Juwan agreed saying he really appreciated the classmate considering him as a peer, just a regular kid in college.
I believe that despite leaving early for the NBA, Juwan continued to take classes and graduated on time which had never been done before.
These are phenomenal stories and makes me feel better if he ends up as our next coach. Sounds like a great guy.
Really cool story- thanks for sharing!
I was previously on board with bringing Juwan back home, but this story further strengthens my opinion.
Beilein was a gem, but I do think he did a smart thing to energize his life with a new challenge. As a system guy he was always going to have a hard time getting the one-or-two-and-done type recruits. Today's reality is you can't expect the top talent to hang around for four years. Seems like Howard might have a good shot at recruiting top talent and not having any issues with the reality that for the top talent, your college program is a stepping stone. And it's not that Beilen wasn't able to adjust to that....I don't think he would stand in the way of a kid's career, it's just that as a system guy, he wouldn't naturally attract the top talent, which seeks a platform to show their skills, not necessarily to seek to show what a great x's and o's scheme the program has. Yeah, Beilen is well loved for what he did for M basketball, but it feels like there's a great chance for something new and exciting. I am more excited at possibility of Howard than anyone else, and however the results come in, I think it's great to have a former player as a coach. We know about Harbaugh and football, but it would be interesting to see stats on how many current coaches in all the sports were former players for the school.
As a system guy he was always going to have a hard time getting the one-or-two-and-done type recruits.
You mean like Iggy Brazdeikis and Jordan Poole?
(Or Trey Burke, Nik Stauskas, Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary...)
Thanks 1408. I've always been impressed by Juwan's non-bball character. Graduating on time, doing homework on late night flights while a rookie in the NBA. Keeping his promise to his late grandmother, who raised him, to get his Michigan degree. This just adds to that great character.
I don't know whether he will coach Michigan, and if he does how he will perform, but he will always be a Michigan Man. For these and other reasons.
Thank you for sharing. It's great to have someone with integrity with the program again.
He may or may not have a rocky first year or two, but he is going to be good at some point.
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