Former Michigan HC Juwan Howard joins Nets as assistant coach: report

The Nets continued a busy offseason with another addition to its coaching staff.

Former Michigan coach Juwan Howard agreed to a deal to become an assistant on newly-appointed Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez’s staff, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Michigan fired Howard last month after five seasons with the Wolverines. The former Fab Five star makes his return to an NBA staff after spending six seasons as an assistant under Erik Spoelstra before making a move to the NCAA. Howard played 19 seasons in the NBA and won two championships as a player with the Heat (2012-13).

Howard’s tenure at Michigan ended with a 82-67 record. The team reached the Elite Eight in 2021, when he was named the Associated Press Coach of the Year. Howard and the Wolverines also won the Big Ten title that year. The team made two NCAA tournament appearances (2020-21) under Howard’s tenure.

He now heads to Brooklyn to assist a team that missed the postseason after finishing with a 32-50 record in the 2023-24 season. Howard will be an assistant alongside Steve Hetzel, who joined Brooklyn’s staff after three seasons with the Portland Trailblazers.