There were a lot of good players in the five years Howard was Michigan’s head coach.
A lot of talented Wolverines suited up and played for Juwan Howard the last five years, and while the ending was ugly and the program needed a fresh start , it can not be forgotten there were some great moments , too.
To reflect on the Howard era, I thought it would be fun to choose a starting five among the players who played for him. Before we get into that starting five, a few qualifiers:
- For the purposes of this exercise, I only included statistics and moments from when Howard coached said player. For example, Zavier Simpson is undoubtedly one of the best point guards in recent program history, but because he only played for one season under Howard — which was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic — I excluded him from the starting five.
- This isn’t necessarily the five best players from the Howard era, as to be fair to every position group, I wanted to create a starting five that would realistically share the floor together.
Without further ado, here’s that starting five and a few honorable mentions
Hunter Dickinson
Dickinson led the Wolverines in points and rebounds each of his three seasons with the Wolverines, including in 2020-21 when the Wolverines made the Elite Eight, the deepest they went in the tournament under Howard. He was a three-time All-Big Ten player, and a consensus All-American in his final season with the Wolverines.
While his villainous persona and off-court antics irritated certain Michigan fans when the team wasn’t as successful, there’s no doubt he was one of the most talented players in Howard’s tenure. And maybe he wouldn’t have transferred to Kansas if he had gotten more NIL money .
Honorable mention: Jon Teske
Teske only played one season under Howard, which was cut short cause of the pandemic. That is a real shame because that season was his best at Michigan, as the seven-footer averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He was also an important bench piece on the 2017-18 team that made it to the NCAA Championship. He is currently an assistant coach at Grandville High School on the west side of the state.
Franz Wagner
Both of Wagner’s seasons were under Howard, and while his stats don’t jump off the page like Dickinson’s — Wagner averaged 12.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game while shooting 46.5 from the field and 32.5 percent from three — there’s a case to be made he was the most talented player of the Howard coaching era. With his slashing ability and scoring chops, Michigan fans saw a bright NBA future for him.
Wagner made the All-Big Ten team in 2020-21 and the Big Ten All-Freshman team a year prior. He’s the only player in Howard’s tenure to be drafted in the top-10 of the NBA Draft , and he’s currently one of the best players on an exciting young team in the Orlando Magic.
Honorable mention: Moussa Diabate
Diabate only played one season under Howard, but proved to be very effective as a rebounder, defender and dunker. He was a versatile defender and a key piece on a 2021-22 team that made the Sweet Sixteen. He’s currently with the Los Angeles Clippers organization, but hasn’t played much since getting drafted in the second round in 2022.
Isaiah Livers
Howard won AP Coach of the Year in 2020-21 after the Wolverines ranked as high as No. 2 and finished the season fourth in the poll, and Livers was a big part of that regular season success. He improved gradually every season, culminating with a 2020-21 All-Big Ten honor. He was drafted in the second round by the Pistons in 2021, appearing in 94 games across three seasons.
Michigan fans likely remember Livers fondly but ask themselves “What If?” with that team, as Livers played his final game in the Big Ten Tournament in 2021 after a stress injury in his foot. The Wolverines made the Elite Eight without him, but could they have gone further with him?
Honorable mention: Terrance Williams II
Williams was a key bench player on the 2020-21 and 2021-22 teams, and while he struggled his junior season, he was one of the few bright spots on the team this past season, hitting on 39.7 percent of his shots from three, partially due to tweaking his jump shot in the off-season . He transferred to USC earlier this offseason.
Eli Brooks
Brooks played three seasons under Howard, and “The Professor” was excellent in his final season in 2021-22, averaging 12.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting nearly 40 percent from three. He was a key leader, helping to breath life into an offense that constantly sputtered. He played 15 games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants , the Indiana Pacers’ G League team, in 2022-23, and he’s currently playing overseas in Italy.
Brooks is one of the more underrated players in recent program history, with how consistent he was across five seasons. My colleague Andrew Bailey wrote an excellent column about his legacy that I can’t recommend enough.
Honorable mention: Zavier Simpson
Simpson was the toughest snub from the starting five, but I didn’t have him on here because he only played one season under Howard. He was probably Michigan’s best player that season, though, averaging a team-high 12.9 points while making shots in the paint with his signature hook shot . He has appeared in 11 games in the NBA, most recently playing with the Memphis Grizzlies this past season.
Dug McDaniel
McDaniel was a bright spot in what were two ugly seasons for the program, with the Wolverines missing the NCAA Tournament in both seasons he was in Ann Arbor. Yes, the academic suspension added fuel to the dumpster fire that was the 2023-24 season, but he showcased a scoring ability and lightning-quick first step that kept fans watching the past two years.
McDaniel is now at Kansas State , so hopefully he thrives with a fresh start.
Honorable mention: Mike Smith
Howard loved going to the transfer portal for experienced guards, and Smith may have been the best transfer player who played under Howard. After four seasons at Columbia, Smith averaged 9.0 points and 5.3 assists per game at Michigan, serving as an old-school, facilitating point guard who was a key glue guy for the Elite Eight team. He is currently playing overseas in Turkey.
Who is your starting five of the Howard coaching era, and were there any snubs? Let us know in the comments.