By tipoff, DeJulius settles in on the bench with nine other Wolverines –– eagerly waiting for his number to be called. And, while he’s not a starter for the Michigan men’s basketball team, so far this season, he hasn’t had to wait too long.
Simpson was his usual self against Creighton, dictating the Wolverines’ offense, attacking the basket and running the pick-and-roll to perfection.
The utter delirium that characterized the first twenty minutes of Michigan coach Juwan Howard’s inaugural game eventually gave way to frustration and concern in the second half as a slew of turnovers and missed shots almost cost the Wolverines the game. Ultimately, Michigan overcame its near collapse, winning 79-71 against the Mountaineers (0-1) in a hard-fought, yet thoroughly unconvincing opener.
Roster turnover — and adjusting to it — is an inherent part of college basketball. A top program’s best players tend to move on annually to the professional ranks as a new batch of heralded freshmen take over.
John Beilein jumped to the professional ranks. Nine days later, “Fab Five” member Juwan Howard returned to Ann Arbor as the Wolverines’ head coach. From there, Luke Yaklich and DeAndre Haynes moved on, while Phil Martelli and Howard Eisley moved in. On July 6th, budding German star Franz Wagner committed to Michigan — his brother’s alma mater. And finally, just two weeks ago, Howard landed his first five star recruit, 2020 forward Isaiah Todd. Tomorrow night though, after a six-month long hiatus, the Wolverines will play a basketball game.
Juwan Howard’s message at Big Ten media day was clear: Beilein was great. But he’s going to be his own man. That’s how he’s bringing Michigan into the Howard era.
It may seem strange to consider a seasoned, 19-year NBA veteran with five years of coaching experience as an assistant for the Miami Heat a “rookie” in anything basketball related and yet, at his first Big Ten Media Day as Michigan’s head basketball coach, Howard was in fact the lone newcomer amongst the league’s 14 head coaches.
On Monday, Michigan coach Juwan Howard sat at the front of four rectangular tables, pieced together to form a square.
Michigan men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard announced new staff hires Monday. Most notable among the additions is the return of Jay Smith to Ann Arbor. Smith will serve as the director of player personnel and development.
Guard Franz Wagner will be joining the University of Michigan starting this upcoming year. The 17-year-old was on a dual-contract with Alba Berlin and SSV lok Bernau Alba this past year, deciding between staying overseas and coming to play in the NCAA.