In three full seasons as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Juwan Howard has taken the program to as many NCAA Tournaments as possible — an Elite Eight appearance in 2021, a Sweet 16 in 2022 and what would have been another in 2020 if it wasn't canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Every time Juwan steps on the hardwood, he does so watching a piece of him — or multiple pieces, in this case — don the Michigan jersey like he did as part of the famous Fab Five in the '90s. The 50-year-old Howard has six children in total, and two of them currently play for him at Michigan.
In Ann Arbor, basketball is a family affair.
Juwan Howard's Sons Jett and Jace Maintain His Legacy
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Juwan has the rare opportunity to coach two of his sons, freshman Jett Howard and junior Jace Howard. He had both sons with current wife, Jenine Howard, who he's been married to since 2002.
Despite the blatant nepotism that exists in college basketball (there were at least 17 examples of it in last year's NCAA Tournament), Jett actually looks the part of a legit player. He was a four-star recruit when he signed with Michigan, and as a freshman this season is averaging 14.5 points per game, good for second best on the team.
Jett almost signed with Tennessee, but ultimately chose to pair up with his dad and brother in Ann Arbor.
"I was concerned. I was," Juwan Howard told The Daily Times. "... I still wanted my son to choose his school that he felt was best for his college future because I've already had mine. It's about him, and I wanted him to enjoy the recruiting experience because he deserved it. He earned that right."
Jett has helped Michigan to a 17-15 record, though a spot in the NCAA Tournament may hinge on the team's success in the Big Ten Tournament. Alongside him has been his brother, Jace, a junior who plays sparingly.
Jett's breakout game may have been a 34-point performance in an overtime loss to Iowa. It was the most points scored by a Wolverine in more than 15 years. That's a number that not even dad matched as a freshman. In fact, young Jett's 34 points are also his dad's career-high at Michigan.
Projected first round pick Jett Howard was handing out buckets tonight😮💨 Howard finished with a career-high 34 points against Iowa @JettHoward5 pic.twitter.com/4IlCmwooDJ
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) January 13, 2023
Juwan's Two Other Sons Also Played Basketball
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Basketball runs in the family, which is understandable if your father is an NBA veteran who won two championships. But it isn't just Jett and Jace who are carrying Howard's torch.
Juwan Howard Jr., who is the son of Juwan and Markita Blyden, played his ball at Detroit. The 6-foot-5 forward led the Titans with 17.5 points per game in 2014-15, when he was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team. His mother, Blyden, could hoop as well. She was runner-up for Michigan's Miss Basketball in high school.
Josh Howard, who Juwan had with Tabatha Johnson, played basketball at Brown. He finished his career after the 2019-20 season. Juwan also has two daughters, Sky and Starr Howard, the latter of which played lacrosse at William & Mary.
It's clear Juwan has instilled everything he knows about basketball in his kids. Jett may end up being better than his dad, as he's projected to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Juwan Howard will always be a Michigan legend, and watching his kids wear the Howard name will always be cool to see.
