Michigan Wolverines Basketball

Juwan Howard reminisced about his long road back to leading Michigan men's basketball after the Wolverines defeated Eastern Michigan 83-66 on Saturday in his first game as head coach this season.

According to Austin Meek of The Athletic, Howard wondered if he'd have a coaching "opportunity again" after undergoing heart surgery before the season.

"To be there yelling and shouting, calling timeouts, drawing up plays ...I remember the times I was sitting in my hospital room thinking, 'Would I ever have that opportunity again?'"

Howard underwent a scheduled operation on Sept. 15 to resect an aortic aneurysm and repair an aortic valve. That came after conditions were identified by doctors during a routine medical check in the offseason.

He was also reportedly involved in a brief verbal altercation with strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson recently, although Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel released a statement that claimed "nothing was found to warrant disciplinary action" for any members involved (via CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein).

Wolverines fans will hope that Howard's return can give the roster a spark, as Michigan hasn't gotten off to a strong start in the 2023-24 season.

The Wolverines moved to 6-5 after Saturday's victory, marking the first time that the team has won consecutive games since Nov. 13. Although Howard reminisced on his long road back to the sidelines, the former Michigan center was grateful to be back coaching for his alma mater.

"It felt like I was never gone. ..I just love Maize and Blue," he said, per C.J. Mangum of Blue By Ninety.

Michigan's next opportunity to extend the streak comes on Tuesday against Florida.

Juwan Howard is expected to return to the sidelines to coach Michigan on Saturday against Eastern Michigan, according to a statement released by athletic director Warde Manuel.

Howard underwent a scheduled operation on Sept. 15 to resect an aortic aneurysm and repair an aortic valve, conditions that were identified by doctors during a routine medical check in the offseason.

Associate head coach Phil Martelli has been Michigan's interim head coach while he recovered, although the Wolverines had gotten off to a poor 5-5 start to the season. Howard was involved in an altercation with strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson in a recent practice although no disciplinary action was enforced after an internal review, according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

No punches were thrown, but the two men reportedly needed to be separated following the incident. Brendan Quinn of The Athletic reported on Dec. 10 that Howard remains under a "zero-tolerance policy" that was instituted by the school after striking Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft in Feb. 2022.

Howard has been with the team for a few weeks in an assistant coaching capacity as he's worked his way back towards regaining his duties as head coach. He initially returned as an observer during Michigan's trip to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis before entering his expanded role as an assistant, via Borzello.

"[Howard] has been very active at practice," Martelli said, according to Andrew Kahn of MLive.com. "I'm not gonna say it's seamless, but he is very engaged. He's not a spectator. He's a participant and has been since right before the Bahamas."

Howard is expected to help the team get back on track, as Michigan has finished with a winning record in every year since the 2014-15 season.

Michigan is reviewing an alleged "confrontation" between men's basketball coach Juwan Howard and strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson, according to The Athletic's Brendan Quinn.

"Multiple sources say claims of punches being thrown in the aforementioned altercation are inaccurate," Quinn reported.

Howard underwent heart surgery in September that forced him to briefly step away from the bench. Phil Martelli was tabbed as the interim coach to open the season.

While the 50-year-old is back to coaching, MLive.com's Andrew Kahn detailed what he termed "an awkward dynamic" with Martelli continuing to work as the acting head coach while Howard functions as an assistant.

Jalen Rose, who was teammates with Howard during the "Fab Five" era, addressed the speculation and said Howard "is enthusiastically hoping to return Dec 16th," when the Wolverines host Eastern Michigan.

Howard had big shoes to fill at his alma mater after replacing John Beilein ahead of the 2019-20 season. In his second year, he guided the Wolverines to the NCAA tournament and a No. 1 seed. They advanced to the Elite Eight.

Since then, it has been a case of diminishing return.

Michigan advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 2022 tournament but finished just 19-15 for the year. Midway through that season, Howard also drew a five-game suspension for striking a Wisconsin assistant on the court.

The Wolverines then missed the 2023 tournament altogether before seeing Hunter Dickinson transfer out and Jett Howard, Juwan's son, leave for the NBA in the offseason.

Under Martelli, the team is 5-5 and faces the distinct possibility of failing to qualify for the Big Dance again. The alleged confrontation between Howard and a member of the support staff only adds to the drama that has surrounded the program of late.

Khani Rooths, a 5-star power forward in the Class of 2024, told Joe Tipton of On3.com that he was committing to the Michigan Wolverines.

He offered the following reasoning behind his decision:

I chose Michigan because it was a place where I felt I could grow as a man, not only a basketball player. I'll be in the hands of men who will keep me accountable. Not just only on the coaching staff, but I also met people that work with the basketball players too and they help you be professionals off the court. I had never experienced that before.

(Michigan) is also a place where it would get me to where I needed to be, going to the next level. Coach Juwan (Howard) says all his players say he's another father figure to them and I see that. My mom saw it also and I felt it was the perfect place for me.

Rooths is considered the No. 25 overall player in the Class of 2024, the No. 5 power forward and the No. 5 player from the state of Florida, per 247Sports' Composite Rankings.

Michigan previously had a pair of 3-star recruits at point guard—Christian Anderson and Durral Brooks—committed in the Class of 2024. Rooths immediately becomes the headliner.

As ESPN's Jeff Borzello noted, he's Michigan's highest-ranked commit since 2021. Borzello and Paul Biancardi added that Rooths "brings a lot of versatility, contributing as a finisher, defender and scorer. He plays both inside and out with effectiveness."

Rooths also cited his versatility as his key attribute.

"I would say I have a do-it-all type of game," he told Tipton. "I'm a mismatch player. I can do it on the post, do it on the perimeter. I defend one through five. I'm just a versatile guy that does what needs to be done to get the win. I'm not selfish at all and I know how to take the big game shots."

Howard, 50, is in his fifth season as Michigan's head coach, having led the team to the Elite Eight in the 2020-21 season and the Sweet 16 in the 2021-22 campaign. Heading into this season, he landed 4-star shooting guard George Washington III and a trio of transfers in Olivier Nkamhoua, Tray Jackson and Nimari Burnett.

The Wolverines are trying to bounce back after a disappointing 2022-23 season that only saw them qualify for the NIT. But a 2-0 start to the season and now Rooths' commitment has made for an excellent week in Ann Arbor, at least for the basketball program.

University of Michigan men's basketball coach Juwan Howard currently has "no timetable" for his return to the bench after undergoing heart surgery in September.

Assistant coach Saddi Washington spoke to reporters Tuesday at Big Ten media day and said Howard's return remains up in the air. Phil Martelli will serve as the Wolverines' acting head coach with Howard out.

"He's a very motivated individual to get back," Washington said. "There is no timetable. We want him back when he's ready. He's going to listen to his team of doctors. He's going to go through the process of working through his rehab and getting healthy. I know the competitive spirit that he is. We're just going to hold down the fort."

Howard is heading into his fifth season coaching his alma mater. The Wolverines were a disappointing 18-16 in 2022-23 and failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time under Howard.

In the previous two seasons, Howard led Michigan to an Elite Eight appearance and Sweet 16 berth.

This year's Michigan team is not expected to compete for a national title. Howard landed just one player in the 2023 recruiting class, 4-star guard George Washington III, and instead plucked three players from the transfer portal (Olivier Nkamhoua, Tray Jackson, Nimari Burnett).

Martelli previously replaced Howard for the final five games of the 2021-22 regular season due to a suspension. The Wolverines went 3-2 in those five games.

Martelli spent 24 years as the head coach of Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia.

Michigan Wolverines men's basketball head coach Juwan Howard underwent heart surgery Friday, the team announced.

Howard is "expected to fully recover" within 12 weeks, the Wolverines said. He could return to coaching in four to six weeks.

Howard's aortic valve was repaired following an aortic aneurysm discovered during a routine medical check, the team said.

Associate head coach Phil Martelli will serve as interim head coach in Howard's absence. The Wolverines begin exhibition play November 3.

Martelli, who has coached with Michigan since 2019, briefly served as Michigan's interim head coach last season and led the Wolverines to a 3-2 record in Howard's absence. He previously worked for 24 seasons as head coach at Saint Joseph's, where he led the Hawks to an Elite Eight bid in 2004.

Howard thanked the staff at the University of Michigan Health's cardiovascular center in a statement shared by the team.

"I am going to work very hard in my rehabilitation to be stronger than ever by the time our upcoming season is upon us," Howard said.

Howard was a member of Michigan's Fab Five before he was selected by Washington with the No. 5 pick of the 1994 NBA draft. He played in the NBA for 19 seasons and won a championship in 2012 with the Miami Heat.

After six seasons as an assistant coach with the Heat, Howard returned to the Wolverines as head coach in 2019.

Howard was named the AP men's college basketball coach of the year in 2021 after leading Michigan to a 19-3 regular-season record and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament on the Wolverines' way to an Elite Eight bid. Later that year, Michigan and Howard agreed to a contract extension that runs through the 2025-26 season.

"All of us at the athletic department have Juwan in our thoughts and prayers," said Michigan director of athletics Warde Manuel. "We look forward to Juwan's return when he feels that he has fully recovered."

University of Michigan athletics and Peloton announced a partnership that will feature co-branded bikes on Wolverines sidelines and athletic facilities.

"We're pleased to partner with Peloton as its first collegiate activation," said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel. "We look forward to collaborating with Peloton and LEARFIELD on projects ranging from beneficial opportunities for our student-athletes to enhanced membership possibilities and content for the entire U-M community."

The deal is the first of its kind for Peloton, which has seen a rapid rise in the in-home execise ranks in recent years. Peloton's market cap is currently listed at $2.5 billion.

No financial terms of the deal with Michigan have been made available. Wolverines-branded Peloton gear will not be made available for purchase at this time.

Caleb Love's commitment to Michigan lasted about five weeks.

The former North Carolina guard has reportedly backed out of his transfer commitment to the Wolverines and will return to the transfer portal as he seeks a new school, per Joe Tipton of On3.

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports added additional details:

In late March, Love announced that he was entering the transfer portal.

On April 7, the 21-year-old announced he was transferring to Michigan, and earlier in May, he confirmed that decision (both tweets have since been deleted).

But Love is back on the market, and it's been a tough overall day for the Wolverines, with Hunter Dickinson committing to Kansas after leaving Michigan.

Love, who will be a senior next season, posted 16.7 points and 2.8 assists per game last season for a disappointing Tar Heels squad that failed to reach the NCAA tournament and turned down an NIT invite.

That was a year removed from him leading the Tar Heels to the national championship game, averaging 18.8 points per game in the tournament and putting up 30 points against UCLA in the Sweet 16 and 28 points against rival Duke in the Final Four, spoiling Mike Krzyzewski's final game.

The Tar Heels fell to Kansas in the national title game, though, with Love shooting just 5-of-24 from the field as his team blew a 15-point halftime lead.

His return to the transfer portal will make him the best available target for teams seeking help for next season. Love is a dynamic scorer in the backcourt, and despite last season's disappointing campaign for North Carolina, he'll still bring tournament pedigree with him wherever he lands.

As for his next destination, Adam Zagoria of the New York Times tweeted to "keep an eye on" Missouri and Indiana.

Michigan Wolverines men's basketball transfer Hunter Dickinson is scheduled for an official visit to Kansas next week, per Michael Swain of Phog.net.

The 7-foot-1 center is also slated to take unofficial visits to Georgetown and Maryland this weekend, according to Swain.

Dickinson entered the transfer portal on March 31 after three standout seasons at Michigan.

The 22-year-old Virginia native is ranked as the No. 1 player available in the 247Sports' transfer portal rankings.

Dickinson put together an impressive junior season with the Wolverines, averaging 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.8 blocks in 34 games while shooting 56 percent from the floor and 42.1 percent from deep.

During a podcast appearance published earlier this week (h/t MLive's Andrew Kahn), Dickinson called visits to Georgetown and Maryland "kind of spur-of-the-moment" because he had already booked a flight home.

Dickinson also said he "had a really close relationship" with new Georgetown head coach Ed Cooley, who spent the last 11 seasons as Providence's head coach and recruited Dickinson when he was in high school.

"I just didn't feel like Providence was a big enough brand for me to get where I was trying to go," he said. "That's why I didn't go there. But I really liked (Cooley) and the staff."

Dickinson was also recruited by Maryland while he was in high school, but he ultimately didn't commit to the program because he felt then-head coach Mark Turgeon didn't recruit him hard enough.

With Turgeon no longer with the program, it appears Dickinson is open to playing for the Terrapins.

As for Kansas, Dickinson would be a more than welcomed addition to the Jayhawks program as the team is thin at center entering the 2023-24 campaign. If Kansas goes all-in to recruit him, it could greatly help the program have a better year beginning in the fall.

In addition to Kansas, Georgetown and Maryland, Dickinson also reportedly has taken part in video conference calls with Arkansas and Kentucky, per Kahn.

Caleb Love is headed to Ann Arbor.

The former McDonald's All-American announced his intention to transfer to Michigan on Friday after spending the last three seasons at North Carolina.

Love announced his intention to transfer after the Tar Heels' 2022-23 season ended in the ACC tournament. The team chose not to pursue an NIT berth after not being selected for the NCAA tournament.

A national runner-up in 2022 and hyped as a championship contender for this season, North Carolina instead faltered—in no small part thanks to some disappointing play from Love. The shoot-happy guard showed no improvement in his game and shot just 37.8 percent from the floor, including a dreadful 29.9 percent rate from beyond the arc.

Love's poor performance all but ruined any chance he had of reaching the NBA this season, so he chose to instead leave North Carolina and hope to improve under Juwan Howard at Michigan.

"One of his talents is his ability to get hot, and his ability to make the contested shot," Hubert Davis told reporters in March. "We don't go to the (NCAA) championship game last year without him making shots against UCLA or without him making big shots against Duke in the Final Four. Out of all of our players, especially in late-game pressure situations, he's the one guy that not only has the confidence to make it, but has the confidence and wants to shoot it. Sometimes he toes the line with trying to help the team out so much from a standpoint of trying to shoot us back in."

Michigan is coming off a disappointing season of its own, going 18-16 and losing in the second round of the NIT. Howard will go into the 2023-24 season on increasingly shaky ground and may need to rely on Love to help keep him in good standing with the Wolverines fanbase.