Busting Brackets
Fansided

Michigan Basketball: Top recruiting priorities for Coach Howard

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 08: Former Michigan Wolverines player Juwan Howard supports Michigan against the Louisville Cardinals during the 2013 NCAA Men's Final Four Championship at the Georgia Dome on April 8, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 08: Former Michigan Wolverines player Juwan Howard supports Michigan against the Louisville Cardinals during the 2013 NCAA Men's Final Four Championship at the Georgia Dome on April 8, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
1 of 6
ORLANDO, FL – OCTOBER 26: Assistant coach Howard of the Miami Heat. (Photo by Manuela Davies/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL – OCTOBER 26: Assistant coach Howard of the Miami Heat. (Photo by Manuela Davies/Getty Images)

Michigan Basketball recently hired former star Juwan Howard as the new head coach of the program. Who should some of his top recruiting targets be?

Michigan basketball surprisingly lost former head coach John Beilein to the NBA this offseason, leaving a gaping hole at the top of the program. Over his time with the program, Coach Beilein built an incredible culture that resulted in a few deep postseason runs. Replacing his impact will be nearly impossible but Juwan Howard looks poised to continue his run of success. Although the transition to a collegiate head coaching job is never easy, many expect that newly appointed Coach Howard will be able to dominate on the recruiting trail.

If that turns out to be the case, then the Wolverines will certainly be in good shape moving forward. Recruiting top high school talents is clearly one of the most important parts of building a winning culture and developing those players in their time with the program is vital to postseason success. Given the timing of this new coaching appointment, Coach Howard is a bit behind with future recruiting but he has the benefit of NBA experience and an incredible fan backing.

So, which prospects should be Coach Howard’s top priorities in the first few months of his tenure at Michigan? These could include reaffirming commitments from 2019 prospects or staying active in scouting top players in the 2020 class. Michigan has been one of the most consistent programs in the nation in recent years and it will be interesting to see how the new leader directs the future.

Let’s dive in.