Five thoughts on Michigan hiring Juwan Howard

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Well thought out - I’m usually going to disagree about something, but not today.

Good write up! He could match Beilein in final four banners being raised before he even starts coaching.

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Great piece! Dylan, I think your ending is spot on, and gives me hope in the near term and long term. As much as we wanted the Beilein era to continue, you have aptly noted multiple times that the era ended when Coach B left for the Cavs. While we could have tried to replicate it with current or former assistants, it was inevitably going to be very different. By bringing in Howard, I hope that he can bridge the gap between the different eras of Michigan basketball. Given the timing and circumstances, there was no home run hire available, but Howard is an appropriately taken swing for the fences in my opinion.

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Thank god I don’t have to pretend to be enthusiastic about Shaka Smart.

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Completely agree with the first premise. It’s a massive gamble. It’s a sensible gamble.

All of the guys that could be acquired that are known properties have serious, known limitations. Steps down from Beilein.

Howard might also be a significant step down. But no one knows how much, and if he really does have the chops to coach in the NBA and can produce a modern, functional offense, the result could be special.

The upside here is the equivalent to hiring Jim Harbaugh in 2008, after his first year at Stanford. Would have been a great hire, but chancy at best at the time.

The downside is basically what we know we would have gotten from someone like Ed Cooley anyway.

A warranted roll of the dice.

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Fran just here to get Mich fans all hot and bothered

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He certainly gets the culture thing though. Beilein’s culture was absurdly positive and I wouldn’t want anything else over that.

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If Bronny doesn’t skip college I’ll be STUNNED.

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Even Billy Donovan would have been a gamble. Slam dunk coach, but hard to be sure that he’d be happy at Michigan. I thought he’d have been the most likely candidate or quasi-candidate to butt heads with the AD.

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Goodman is such a clown. The guys he wants hired don’t get it so he’s been throwing shade at Howard the last few tweets.

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You never know. LeBron may want him to get the college experience he missed out on. Bronny doesn’t need to get paid ASAP.

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Bronny’s dad could sign him to a contract to go to college for a year or two…at Michigan! :grin:

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“It will be semi-surprising if Michigan makes the tournament” :roll_eyes:

I have a hard time seeing noted Buckeye LeBron James sending his son to Michigan, but I am all for the mass optimism toward Juwan Howard’s recruiting ceiling so count me in!!!

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Ridiculous thing to say by Goodman until the roster is finalized. Add Cumberland, Wilson and Wagner and I think that’s a top 25 team potentially. Add nothing, and there’s a chance he’s right.

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Definitely not a foregone conclusion Bronny would go to Michigan. In fact I’d say it’s unlikely. Duke is much more likely. But Lebron is hardly a Buckeye, and he doesn’t give a rip about their basketball program.

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If we get those 3 players this is a top 15 team pretty much for sure. Saying it is a top 25 team potentially sounds extremely pessimistic. Probably doesn’t matter though because I doubt we get all 3. I would just be very happy with 2 and content with 1 if it is Wilson or Wagner.

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