Who could Iowa's Juwan Howard be?

[ajdl]

Don’t dismiss the Les Jepson talk. Oh wait, that was HN. Carry on.

 

[sane1]

What I think is missing in all this discussion is the passion and fire in the belly that any former player would have to recruit, develop and run a major college bball program. This is what makes Howard incredibly unique and unfortunately cemented in Ann Arbor for as long as he wishes. There are not many players that have made as much money as he has and have had the success in the game that he has that want to coach and then be good at it!

I'd suggest you come to the realization that Juwan Howard is going to take Michigan bball to an elite place in the game. With the recruits he has lined up, they are going to be in rarified air. It's now time to take the approach that with all the resources he has, anything less than elite 8 each year is failure. That should be his benchmark.
Juwan certainly is the shiney toy of coaching and with Coach K and Izzo nearing the end, he could have an amazing run.

Yes, Juwan wanted the Michigan job and made it known, took himself out of the running for the Timberwolves head coaching gig. Martelli was not brought in to coach primarily but to help Juwan navigate the college coaching scene. Juwan is an excellent coach in his own right, bringing a lot of NBA concepts with him. He prepared himself to become a coach and studied the game. He has a great rapport with the players. He's hands on, and can still get out there and show the kids what he wants. Dickinson was nowhere near the player he is now when he got to Ann Arbor last summer. Juwan fixed his footwork and mental approach.

When Juwan was hired, I wondered if he could coach, if he'd recruit, if he could adapt to the college game, because a lot of pros have tried this with mixed results - Chris Mullin, Pat Ewing, Jerry Stackhouse, Penny Hardaway. Juwan has proved to be the real deal.

 

[unoHawkeye]

BJ has a very good gig now. He’s not moving to IC. Get that out of your brain as it’s not happening.

Oh ok thanks

 

[hawkifann]

BJ not getting a look after Fran is gone would be a massive oversight imo. His connections to the NBA, Jordan, 3 rings, etc. would make him highly appealing to any prospective player

Has he ever expressed interest in coaching? Maybe I’m misremembering stuff from when Iowa hired Fran a decade ago, but I never got a vibe that he was all that interested in coaching. He did do a stint in the Bulls front office after his career, but to my knowledge he’s never coached.

I’d welcome him, I just think it’s more about his interest than it is him “getting a look”.

 

[Raptorpeeps]

Martelli was not brought in to coach primarily but to help Juwan navigate the college coaching scene.

😂

 

[hawkifann]

While I'd be ok with BJ, I just don't see where it would be that appealing to kids. That happened so long ago I bet most kids wouldn't even know who he was.

This is likely true. He could have been an Iowa version of Howard around the time Lick was hired. Not as much now. When Lick was hired, BJ was a few years post playing career with a little NBA front-office experience under his belt.

 

[hawkifann]

Bruce Bowan

 

[Brok85]

Ryan Bowen is the only person that comes close to meeting the Juwan Howard criteria, albeit to a much lessor degree in almost every category. Successful college career, good NBA career all things considered and coaching experience in the NBA with the Kings and Nuggets. He certainly lacks the name recognition of a Juwan Howard but as far as Hawkeyes go, this is the closest we've got to what Howard is at Michigan.

While looking up Bowen's resume, had no idea his middle name was Cleo.

Great answer. Don’t sell RB short.

 

[unoHawkeye]

Has he ever expressed interest in coaching? Maybe I’m misremembering stuff from when Iowa hired Fran a decade ago, but I never got a vibe that he was all that interested in coaching. He did do a stint in the Bulls front office after his career, but to my knowledge he’s never coached.

I’d welcome him, I just think it’s more about his interest than it is him “getting a look”.

A 2019 interview with BJ:
“...I don’t know how I could top that. But you know what, if the University did call back and ask me, that’s one place I know I don’t have the ability to say, ‘no.’

So I try to keep my distance cause I don’t want to have to say, ‘yes.’”

Frazier: “There you have it: B.J. Armstrong does not say ‘no’ to Iowa.”

Armstrong: “If they ask me to do anything for the University - anything - I would have to do it.”

 

[BirdistheWord]

Your past paragraph is exactly spot on. Part of what makes Howard successful is that he's coaching at Michigan. If he had come to Iowa (to coach), I don't think he would have had the same recruiting success. It's working for him because of who he is and where he's coaching.

Good point, the synergy of him combined with Michigan is pretty lethal. Personality. Charisma. Emotional Intelligence. He appears to have it. A lot more important than NBA statistics.

 

[kceasthawk]

Who wouldn’t want to play for BJ Armstrong? Trying to be as unbiased as possible, as a recruit, I would be very intrigued by an NBA great coming to coach at Iowa.

Honestly now. I love BJ Armstrong as much as anyone and he was a great Hawk, BUT he was not an NBA great. He was a role player with Jordan, Pippen and the Jordanaires, end of story. He certainly doesn't have Howards resume in the pro's as a player or coach. Now Ronnie Lester had a hell of a run with the Lakers as a player, scout, and assistant GM. He would have some cred, but he's my age (62) and doubt he'd be interested in the grind.

 

[kceasthawk]

What I think is missing in all this discussion is the passion and fire in the belly that any former player would have to recruit, develop and run a major college bball program. This is what makes Howard incredibly unique and unfortunately cemented in Ann Arbor for as long as he wishes. There are not many players that have made as much money as he has and have had the success in the game that he has that want to coach and then be good at it!

I'd suggest you come to the realization that Juwan Howard is going to take Michigan bball to an elite place in the game. With the recruits he has lined up, they are going to be in rarified air. It's now time to take the approach that with all the resources he has, anything less than elite 8 each year is failure. That should be his benchmark.
Juwan certainly is the shiny new toy of coaching and with Coach K and Izzo nearing the end, he could have an amazing run.

Sounds like what they thought about the guy in the Big house in the khaki pants doesn't it?

 

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

Honestly now. I love BJ Armstrong as much as anyone and he was a great Hawk, BUT he was not an NBA great. He was a role player with Jordan, Pippen and the Jordanaires, end of story. He certainly doesn't have Howards resume in the pro's as a player or coach. Now Ronnie Lester had a hell of a run with the Lakers as a player, scout, and assistant GM. He would have some cred, but he's my age (62) and doubt he'd be interested in the grind.

Well, to BJ's credit, he made one All-Star game, which is the same number Howard did. Lol. Seriously, though, none of that would determine BJ's level of success at Iowa. Fred Hoiberg didn't do well at Iowa State because he tore it up in the NBA. He did well because he mastered the art of free agency in college basketball and brought in good players.

The bottom line is a head coach has to be a hell of a salesman to get high-level recruits to come to Iowa. Otherwise, whoever is to become the next head coach will either be more of the same and likely worse than Fran.

FWIW, I wanted Leonard Hamilton years ago.

 

[kceasthawk]

Well, to BJ's credit, he made one All-Star game, which is the same number Howard did. Lol. Seriously, though, none of that would determine BJ's level of success at Iowa. Fred Hoiberg didn't do well at Iowa State because he tore it up in the NBA. He did well because he mastered the art of free agency in college basketball and brought in good players.

The bottom line is a head coach has to be a hell of a salesman to get high-level recruits to come to Iowa. Otherwise, whoever is to become the next head coach will either be more of the same and likely worse than Fran.

FWIW, I wanted Leonard Hamilton years ago.

Yep, the one thing that made Raveling a successful recruiter, connections, and it didn't hurt I'm sure that George looked like a father figure to many of the young recruits. Unfortunately Ole George wasn't much of a game day coach, and he didn't like being in Iowa City, (for various cultural reasons).

 

[24 so far]

Well, to BJ's credit, he made one All-Star game, which is the same number Howard did. Lol. Seriously, though, none of that would determine BJ's level of success at Iowa. Fred Hoiberg didn't do well at Iowa State because he tore it up in the NBA. He did well because he mastered the art of free agency in college basketball and brought in good players.

The bottom line is a head coach has to be a hell of a salesman to get high-level recruits to come to Iowa. Otherwise, whoever is to become the next head coach will either be more of the same and likely worse than Fran.

FWIW, I wanted Leonard Hamilton years ago.

And he (B.J.) led the NBA in 3 pt. % one year and was 2nd the next I believe. No, he's not an NBA great but he was a very good player, similar to Juwan Howard in that regard if not better (not real familiar with his career other than longevity and don't care to research it).

No idea how good of a Coach he'd be, but I do think he'd be a solid recruiter.