(WXYZ) — Michigan men's basketball released a letter from Juwan Howard on Sunday, a few days after Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel announced that he is out as head coach.
Watch the report here:
“My devotion and dedication to this program and most importantly, to my players and their families, provided a challenge that I welcomed and embraced, which required me to grow and expand my capabilities both personally and professionally," the letter read in part.
Read the full letter below:
Thank you, Coach Howard 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/POingwtrJD
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) March 17, 2024
Howard has been with the Wolverines for five seasons and finished with an 82-67 record, including two appearances in the NCAA tournament. However, the Wolverines finished with an 8-24 record this season.
His time at Michigan was not without controversy. In December 2022, Howard hit a Wisconsin Badgers assistant in the head during the postgame handshake line.
There was also an altercation this year between Howard and Jon Sanderson, the head strength and conditioning coach. Sanderon left the program and just joined Illinois.
The firing also comes after a report from Brendan Quinn and Katie Strang of The Athletic where Sanderson's attorney said there was a "culture of fear" within the program.
Manuel said there would be a national search starting immediately.
