Juwan Howard is an American basketball coach and former player. He played in the NBA for several teams, including the Washington Bullets/Wizards, Miami Heat, and Dallas Mavericks. He won two NBA championships with the Miami Heat (2012) and the Dallas Mavericks (2011). Howard transitioned to coaching after his playing career, serving as an assistant coach for the Miami Heat. From 2019 to 2024, he was the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team. He later joined the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant coach in 2024.
On February 7, 1973, Juwan Howard was born. He is an American professional basketball coach and former player.
In 1988, at the start of his sophomore year, 15-year-old Juwan Howard was already regarded as a highly coveted blue chip recruit in Chicago.
In 1989, league coaches named Juwan Howard to the first-team All-Chicago Public School League.
By the end of July 1990, Juwan Howard was projected to sign with the University of Michigan.
In 1990, Juwan Howard selected Michigan, and hours later, his grandmother passed away from a heart attack, leading him to move in with his high school coach.
In 1990, during an in-home visit, Juwan Howard's grandmother hosted Michigan head coach Steve Fisher and his assistants for dinner, emphasizing her influence on his life.
On October 15, 1991, Michigan celebrated Midnight Madness, with early discussions suggesting that at least four of the five freshmen, including Juwan Howard, would start before the season concluded.
By 1991, Juwan Howard was already expected to be a coveted blue chip recruit.
In 1991, Juwan Howard joined Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson to form the Fab Five at Michigan. They all served as regular starters during their freshman and sophomore years.
In 1991, Juwan Howard joined the Michigan Wolverines as part of the Fab Five recruiting class.
In 1991, Juwan Howard was named an All-American basketball player by Parade magazine and won McDonald's All American honors while at Chicago Vocational Career Academy.
On February 5, 1992, Juwan Howard's son, Juwan Howard Jr., was born to Markita Blyden.
In 1992, Juwan Howard, as part of the Fab Five, reached the finals of the NCAA tournament with the Michigan Wolverines.
In 1992, media reports surfaced alleging NCAA violations, and Michigan began the 1992-93 season ranked number one in the country.
In 1992, the Fab Five started regularly for the Wolverines during their freshman year.
After the 1993 season, Webber and Howard were invited to try out for the United States national basketball team that would compete at the 1993 World University Games and Under-22 World Championships.
Despite the University of Michigan erasing many records and accomplishments from 1992 to 1998 due to self-imposed sanctions, Juwan Howard's status as a 1993–94 All-American remained intact.
In 1993, Juwan Howard and the Fab Five reached the NCAA tournament finals for the second consecutive year.
In 1993, Juwan Howard contributed to Michigan's offense and defense in the NCAA tournament semifinals against Kentucky, leading to a championship game appearance where they ultimately lost to North Carolina.
In 1993, the Fab Five continued to start regularly for the Wolverines during their sophomore year.
By the time Juwan Howard ended his college career in 1994, he was drafted a full round ahead of Deon Thomas.
In 1994, Juwan Howard announced his intention to enter the NBA draft, following which Jalen Rose also declared for the draft. Howard, despite being short of his University of Michigan degree, committed to fulfilling his promise to his grandmother to earn his diploma.
In 1994, Juwan Howard appeared in the basketball film Hoop Dreams.
In 1994, Juwan Howard began his NBA career after being drafted fifth overall by the Washington Bullets.
In 1994, Juwan Howard excelled in the NCAA Tournament, earning the regional MVP award despite a loss in the Elite Eight against Arkansas.
In 1994, Juwan Howard faced protracted contract talks with the Washington Bullets, missing most of the first month of the NBA season. He eventually signed what was believed to be a 12-year, $37.5 million contract and was reunited with Michigan teammate Chris Webber.
In 1994, Juwan Howard graduated with his academic class, fulfilling a promise to his grandmother. He completed his final course hours through summer classes and independent study during the NBA off-season, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Michigan.
In 1994, after the NBA draft, Juwan Howard was described by NBA analyst Doug Collins as a player who could "play with his back to the basket" and "shoot from about 16 feet outside" and who played "with a lot of energy and emotion".
In 1994, despite the University of Michigan basketball scandal leading to the rescinding of many Fab Five accomplishments, Juwan Howard's and teammate Rose's All-American recognitions were unaffected by the NCAA sanctions.
On February 11, 1995, Juwan Howard participated in the NBA All-Star weekend events as a member of the Rookie Challenge.
In 1995, the Bullets played a preseason game against the Detroit Pistons at the University of Michigan's Crisler Arena, marking a homecoming for Juwan Howard. Chris Webber missed the game due to a shoulder injury.
On February 11, 1996, Juwan Howard earned his only career NBA All-Star Game selection.
On April 17, 1996, Juwan Howard scored 40 points against Boston.
On April 19, 1996, Juwan Howard scored a career-high 42 points at Toronto.
On November 9, 1996, Juwan Howard appeared in season 2 "Son-in-Law" episode of Hang Time.
On November 11, 1996, Juwan Howard was arrested for driving while intoxicated after failing a sobriety test. He later pleaded not guilty and entered an alcohol rehabilitation program.
In 1996, Juwan Howard became a free agent and initially agreed to a deal with the Miami Heat, but the contract was rejected by the NBA. He then re-signed with the Bullets, becoming the first player in NBA history to sign a contract worth more than $100 million.
When Juwan Howard first became a free agent in 1996, Michael Jordan praised his "game, work ethic and character".
In 1997, Juwan Howard made his only NBA playoff appearance with the Washington Bullets, who were swept in the first round by the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 18.7 points and 6 rebounds during the series.
In 1997, The Miami Heat pursued legal remedy after Howard re-signed with the Bullets, but eventually dropped their case, avoiding possible penalties for salary cap violations.
In 1997, the Washington Wizards relocated to the MCI Center. During the 1997–98 season, Juwan Howard totaled 11 double-doubles in 64 games, averaging 18.5 points and 8.0 rebounds. He also suffered an ankle injury, causing him to miss several games.
Following the 1998–99 NBA lockout, Juwan Howard was a vocal critic of coach Bernie Bickerstaff, stating that he was unable to make in-game adjustments. Howard also missed games due to an ankle injury.
On August 15, 1999, Juwan Howard appeared in "The Art of Give and Take" episode of Arli$$
During the 1999-2000 season, Howard accumulated 10 double-doubles in 82 games, while averaging 14.9 points and 8.1 rebounds. During the offseason, Howard's name surfaced in trade rumors that had him going to the New York Knicks in exchange for Ewing.
In 1999, Juwan Howard had a small role in The West Wing, playing a former Duke basketball player.
In 2000, as a Dallas player, Juwan Howard was regarded as a versatile offensive player who could "take advantage of smaller defenders in the paint and then stretch his bigger defenders outside" in addition to being a solid rebounder.
On December 31, 2000, Juwan Howard achieved a career-high of 15 made free throws in a game against the Detroit Pistons.
On February 22, 2001, Juwan Howard was traded by the Washington Wizards, along with Obinna Ekezie and Calvin Booth, to the Dallas Mavericks for Laettner, Loy Vaught, Etan Thomas, Hubert Davis, Courtney Alexander and $3 million.
By 2001, Lacy J. Banks from the Chicago Sun-Times regarded Juwan Howard as a high-priced, under-achieving player.
During the 2001 season, Juwan Howard played 81 games, posting 17 double-doubles and three 30-point performances, averaging 14.6 points and 7.6 rebounds. It was the first time since his rookie season that he didn't start every game, making reserve appearances between November 21 and December 11.
In 2001, Juwan Howard made his first NBA playoff appearance and won his first NBA playoff series. However, during the first game against the San Antonio Spurs, Howard was ejected and assessed a flagrant foul after slamming Spurs guard Derek Anderson to the floor while attempting to block Anderson's layup late in the game. Anderson suffered a separated shoulder on the play.
In 2001, Juwan Howard was recognized as one of the "Good Guys in Sports" by The Sporting News for his civic contributions.
On February 21, 2002, Juwan Howard was traded by the Mavericks with Donnell Harvey, Hardaway and a 2002 first-round pick to the Denver Nuggets for Raef LaFrentz, Avery Johnson, Van Exel and Tariq Abdul-Wahad.
On March 25, 2002, Juwan Howard scored his 10,000th career point at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks.
On July 6, 2002, Juwan Howard married Jenine Wardally.
On October 25, 2002, Juwan Howard received a suspension for attempting to punch Al Harrington and Jermaine O'Neal during a preseason game, costing him $458,000 in salary and missing the Nuggets' first two regular-season games.
In 2002, Lacy J. Banks described Juwan Howard as a solid veteran at the four (power forward position).
On July 16, 2003, Juwan Howard signed a five-year, $28 million contract as a free agent with the Orlando Magic.
In 2003, Kiki Vandeweghe, the general manager of the Denver Nuggets, Juwan Howard's team, said Howard developed a respected inside post-up game and a reputation as a veteran leader.
On June 29, 2004, Juwan Howard and Magic teammates McGrady, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines were traded to the Houston Rockets for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato.
In 2005, Juwan Howard appeared in the season 5 (2005) "Michigan's Fab 5" episode of Beyond the Glory.
In 2005, Juwan Howard's season ended on March 14 due to a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee. During the season, he also developed symptoms of viral myocarditis, including heart palpitations, mild chest pains, and fever, and was diagnosed with a viral infection in his heart.
On April 17, 2006, Juwan Howard posted a season-high 31 points against the Denver Nuggets.
On December 26, 2006, Juwan Howard began a streak of 32 consecutive starts for the Houston Rockets, lasting until March 3, 2007.
March 3, 2007 marks the end of the 32-game consecutive starts of Juwan Howard for the Houston Rockets.
On June 14, 2007, Juwan Howard was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Mike James and Justin Reed.
On October 29, 2007, Juwan Howard was waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves after reaching a contractual buyout agreement for $10 million spread over four years.
On October 30, 2007, Juwan Howard agreed to terms with the Dallas Mavericks, but was not able to officially sign until the next day when he cleared waivers.
On October 3, 2008, Juwan Howard rejoined the Denver Nuggets.
On December 12, 2008, Juwan Howard signed with the Charlotte Bobcats.
In 2008, Juwan Howard had a limited role with the Dallas Mavericks and did not start in a single game for the first time in his career.
On September 17, 2009, Juwan Howard signed a one-year contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.
On July 20, 2010, Juwan Howard agreed to terms with the Miami Heat for the 2010-11 NBA season, signing a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum salary.
In 2010, Juwan Howard signed with the Miami Heat, marking a significant move in his NBA career.
In 2010, Juwan Howard won the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for his community efforts, philanthropic work and charitable contributions.
In 2010, when Juwan Howard signed with the Heat, he was lauded for his ability to play the power forward and center positions and for his professionalism.
On December 10, 2011, Juwan Howard re-signed with the Miami Heat for the same veteran's minimum salary as the previous year.
In 2011, Juwan Howard appeared in the documentary The Fab Five, produced by his Michigan teammate Jalen Rose.
On June 21, 2012, Juwan Howard, as a role player on the 2011–12 Miami Heat, became the first and only member of the Fab Five to win an NBA championship.
In 2012, Juwan Howard won his first NBA championship with the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals.
On March 2, 2013, Juwan Howard signed a 10-day contract with the Miami Heat.
On March 12, 2013, Juwan Howard signed a second 10-day contract with the Miami Heat.
On March 22, 2013, Juwan Howard signed with the Miami Heat for the remainder of the season.
With the retirement of Grant Hill on June 1, 2013, Juwan Howard became the oldest active player in the NBA at age 40.
On September 28, 2013, the Miami Heat announced that Juwan Howard would remain with the team, moving officially into an assistant coaching role.
In 2013, Juwan Howard retired as a player and became an assistant coach with the Miami Heat.
On May 22, 2019, Juwan Howard was named the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team, signing a five-year contract.
In 2019, Juwan Howard accepted the head coaching position at the University of Michigan.
In 2019, Juwan Howard became the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's team.
In 2020, Juwan Howard earned numerous awards for his performance as a coach.
On November 16, 2021, Juwan Howard signed a five-year contract extension with Michigan through the 2025–26 season.
In 2021, Juwan Howard received AP National Coach of the Year and led the Wolverines to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, being the first coach to do so as both a player and coach.
On February 20, 2022, following a game between Michigan and Wisconsin, Juwan Howard was involved in an altercation where he hit Wisconsin's assistant coach in the face.
On March 15, 2024, Michigan announced they were parting ways with Juwan Howard after five years of coaching.
On April 26, 2024, Juwan Howard joined the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant coach for Jordi Fernández.
In 2024, Juwan Howard joined the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant coach, after serving as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines from 2019 to 2024.