Why is Juwan Howard not coaching Michigan? Exploring the reasons behind Wolverines HC's absence

Head coach Juwan Howard reportedly remains in charge of the Michigan Wolverines' basketball side. There have been rumors that the coach had a heated discussion with a member of his staff, coach Jon Sanderson, and the discussion turned violent with some reports pointing to a physical confrontation. However, school officials have denied this.

According to Brendan Quinn from The Athletic, sources at the school have told him that the incident is being reviewed by the school, but, at the moment, Juwan Howard remains a part of the program. The outlet attempted to contact him for comments, but he didn't reply.

He didn't travel with the team for yesterday's encounter with Iowa (Wolverines 90-80 Hawkeyes).

Juwan Howard's health issues

The coach has been sidelined for the early part of the season as part of the recovery process from a heart surgery he underwent back on Sep. 15 at the school's hospital. At the time, the coach had the following statement regarding the procedure:

"I feel so grateful and blessed that this surgery was performed at University of Michigan Health, my wife, Jenine, and our family appreciate the world-class care that has been provided to us. Dr. (Kim) Eagle, Dr. (Himanshu) Patel, Dr. (Stanley) Chetcuti, and all of the staff at the Frankel Cardiovascular Center are so talented and performed like champions throughout this process. I am going to work very hard in my rehabilitation to be stronger than ever by the time our upcoming season is upon us."

The procedure successfully resected an aortic aneurysm and repaired Howard's aortic valve. Initially, Dr. Himanshu Patel, the surgeon who led the operation, gave a timeframe of between six to 12 weeks for a full recovery.

Juwan Howard's past discipline issues

This isn't the first time that the Wolverines head coach has been accused of violent behavior. In 2022, Howard was suspended for five games and fined $40,000 for hitting a Wisconsin Badgers assistant basketball coach.

The incident prompted the following statement from Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren:

"Big Ten Conference coaches and student-athletes are expected to display the highest level of sportsmanship conduct...Our expectation is that the incident yesterday will provide our coaches and student-athletes with the opportunity to reflect, learn and move forward in a manner that demonstrates decorum and leadership on and off of the court."