NBA Rumors: Juwan Howard Agrees to Join Nets’ Coaching Staff After Michigan Stint

Jack MurrayApril 26, 2024

David Berding/Getty Images

Juwan Howard is heading back to an NBA bench.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Friday that the former Michigan Wolverines head coach had “agreed to join the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant coach.”

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespnESPN Sources: Juwan Howard has agreed to join the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant coach. Howard spent six NBA seasons as a Heat assistant before returning to Michigan for five years as head coach. Howard arrives as part of Jordi Fernandez’s first staff. pic.twitter.com/RMjNVgpiel

Before his time with the Wolverines, Howard spent six seasons on the coaching staff for the Miami Heat. He joins the staff after the Nets hired Jordi Fernandez as the franchise’s next head coach.

Howard compiled an overall record of 87-72 in five seasons as the Wolverines head coach. He was fired following the 2023-24 season after the team went 8-24 and missed out on the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year.

He was also accused of cultivating a “culture of fear” at the program by Michigan strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson, per Brendan Quinn and Katie Strang of The Athletic.

He joins a Nets team that took a step back after reaching the postseason in five consecutive seasons. Brooklyn went 32-50 in 2023-24 and finished 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Howard, alongside Steve Hetzel, have joined Fernandez’s staff and will attempt to help the team get back to its winning ways.