John Beilein shocked by college basketball world by leaving the University of Michigan for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not only is losing a great coach tough but losing a great coach this late in the calendar makes it doubly tough.
The obvious question is who would be good enough to keep the Wolverine train running. Well, Jalen Rose has an idea for the Michigan administration.
On some levels, this makes sense. The Wolverines would be hiring an alum who has grinded for the last six years as an NBA assistant.
But, oh, if it was only that simple. The Fab Five made a complicated mark on the program and the university. On one hand, they led the Wolverines to back to back National Championship appearances where they would lose to Duke and North Carolina. On the other hand, there’s a reason why there aren’t banners up for their accomplishments.
Michigan had to forfeit games that involved Chris Webber, Louis Bullock, Robert “Tractor” Traylor, and Maurice Taylor because of their relationship with Ed Martin.
Though Howard’s name doesn’t appear, is this a hire you want to make as the FBI investigation on college basketball’s recruiting scandal, wraps up?
Michigan could make a run after a coach that would produce a much safer hire. Rumor is, there is interest in Billy Donovan. Bringing in a two-time National Championship coach would be a hire that couldn’t be argued. Donovan is worth reaching out to because who knows if he wants to stay in the NBA. It made sense for him to jump to Oklahoma City at the time. It makes just as much sense for him to leave Oklahoma City because, even if the Golden State Warriors take a step back, the Thunder doesn’t appear to be in place to replace them atop the Western Conference.
Howard also could be hurt by NBA coaches who jump to college without college coaching experience. There’s the failure of Chris Mullin in St. John’s and the jury is still out on Patrick Ewing at Georgetown.
Would Howard be able to put together a staff that has deep recruiting roots? What would a Howard run team look like? Would hiring Howard send the wrong message about cheating?
Hiring Howard has the potential to be fabulous and disastrous all at the same time.
