ANN ARBOR, MICH. – Michigan announced on Friday that head basketball coach and former Fab Five member, Juwan Howard was fired, ending a five-year tenure with the Wolverines.
Howard's exit comes on the heels of Michigan's worst season in 60 years, going 8-24 overall and finishing last place in the Big Ten for the first time since the 1966-67 season. The Wolverines lost their final nine games of the season, including Wednesday's Big Ten tournament game against Penn State.
Howard finishes with a 87-72 overall record.
"After a comprehensive review of the program, I have decided that Juwan will not return as our men's basketball coach," athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. "Juwan is among the greatest Wolverines to ever be associated with our basketball program. I know how much it meant, to not only Juwan, but to all of us for him to return here to lead this program. Despite his love of his alma mater and the positive experience that our student-athletes had under his leadership, it was clear to me that the program was not living up to our expectations and not trending in the right direction. I am thankful for Juwan's dedication, passion and commitment to U-M and for all that he, and his legacy, will continue to mean to Michigan."
Sources told media that Michigan still owes Howard $3 million.
Howard was hired in 2019 to replace John Beilein, who left to take the head coaching job for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Wolverines finished 19-12 in Howard's first year at the helm and would have made the NCAA tournament had it not been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Howard's second season in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines won their first Big Ten regular-season title since 2014 and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993. They made it to the Elite Eight before falling to UCLA by two points. Michigan returned to the Sweet 16 the following season, despite a 19-15 overall record.
Howard's tenure was marred over an incident where he was suspended for five games in February of 2022 for punching Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft during an altercation in the postgame handshake line after Wisconsin's 77-63 win. Howard and Wisconsin coach Greg Gard began exchanging words before being surrounded by players and coaches. A scrum ensued, as Krabbenhoft began to exchange words with Howard and then Howard reached out and struck Krabbenhoft's face.
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