Embed from Getty Images It has been three weeks since former Fab Five member took over as the head basketball coach at the University of Michigan. Thursday, Juwan Howard made his first stop on the recruiting trail. the top 100 players gathered at the National Basketball Players Association Camp.
It was not an has not been lost on the collection of the 100 best players. When the former Michigan star turned NBA star, turned NBA assistant coach, turned Michigan Wolverines head coach. Players stopped, looked whispered and exchanged glances when Howard walked through the door.
Juwan Howard has won at every level he has played at. The current high school players know of Howards accolades. Juwan Howard was a McDonalds All-American in high school, two-time All-American at Michigan, two time NBA champion. That speaks louder to players than Howard’s voice ever could.
It is also not lost on potential recruits that Juwan played with Lebron James and Dwyane Wade. He lived with Michael Jordan for a summer. Oh and when Juwan Howard announced he was going to attend Michigan and play hoops for the school, he recruited the rest of the players that would make up the Fab Five.
It is his relationships with NBA players that gives Howard a leg up. Recently Lebron James (a HUGE Ohio State fan) son said he is seriously considering going to Michigan with his dad’s approval. Dwayne Wade’s son has said the same thing.
While it is still early in the recruiting process, Juwan Howard has already talked to and gotten verbal commitments from a few big time recruits. As soon as he was announced to be the Wolverines basketball coach, Juwan Howard had already won the recruiting battle in the Big Ten. The other schools simply can not match what Howard brings to players and recruits.
Michigan is even passing Michigan State who had a longtime leg up in recruiting. For the other schools the struggle has gotten more daunting. For Juwan Howard, he is just getting started.
