Sports journalist Jason Whitlock, who often makes headlines due to his political opinions, took a shot at former Miami Heat forward Juwan Howard on Thursday.
Howard is the head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Michigan. He became upset in the closing moments of his team’s loss to the University of North Carolina on Wednesday, which seemingly prompted Whitlock’s comments.
I like Juwan Howard's fight and this particular moment isn't too bad. That said, it's yet another rough look for a guy who's had some bad moments on the bench pic.twitter.com/GyhnEYlI7C
— Mike Lacett (@mikelacett) December 22, 2022
As a person, Juwan Howard was one of the best young athletes I ever covered. Didn't see him turning into this angry person with little emotional control. He has the BLM victim mentality.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) December 22, 2022
Heat fans likely remember the three seasons Howard spent with Miami at the end of his NBA career. His stint with the Heat wasn’t anything special from a production standpoint, but he did win two rings with Miami, making him a memorable player for many.
Those two rings, of course, came in 2012 and 2013. Howard’s last game in the NBA came in a Heat uniform in the 2012-13 season.
Earlier in his playing career, the former No. 5 overall pick was a very productive player. Over his first 10 seasons in the NBA, he averaged 17.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field. He earned an All-Star selection in the 1995-96 campaign, which was his second season in the league.
After Howard retired from playing, he took on an assistant coaching role with the Heat. He started that position in 2013 and stuck around until he took the Michigan job in 2019.
Howard’s time with the Heat as an assistant likely played a large role in Michigan’s decision to hire him. After all, NBA coaching experience is invaluable, especially when it comes alongside someone like Erik Spoelstra.
It will be interesting to see if Howard addresses Whitlock’s comments, though that may be unlikely since Whitlock makes controversial comments so frequently that many people have grown used to them.
The Michigan men’s basketball team will look to get back in the win column on Dec. 29 when it faces Central Michigan University. The Wolverines are 7-4 so far this season and have had some tough losses in the non-conference portion of their schedule. Time will tell if they can build some momentum.
