Embracing growth mindset, Juwan Howard meets with Jay Wright: 'I wanted to learn how I can become a better coach'

Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Juwan Howard often discusses the “growth mindset” that he’s carried with him from his time as a player, assistant coach with the Miami Heat and now in his current role. Howard has won championships as both a player and coach, having reached great heights, but still seeks out the advice of other accomplished individuals within the sport.

That’s why Howard met with former Villanova head coach and current CBS college basketball analyst Jay Wright, who was on the call for Michigan’s Sunday afternoon matchup with Ohio State, a 77-69 Maize and Blue victory, over the weekend. The two sat down for a lengthy conversation, and Howard said he had a lot of questions.

“That’s not my first time,” Michigan’s head coach said on the Inside Michigan Basketball radio show Monday night. “I remember before I got hired, I’ve always reached out to [former Michigan head] Coach [John] Beilein, just to pick his brain on just learning about coaching. From there, when I got hired, my first summer of recruiting, I stopped off in Tallahassee to go meet with [Florida State head coach] Leonard Hamilton, just to learn.

“When you have someone like Coach Jay Wright, who’s had so much success in college basketball, a Hall of Famer — I happened to be at his Hall of Fame induction when he got inducted, because Chris Bosh and Chris Webber got inducted — and yeah, we coached against each other in the Sweet 16. I wanted to just learn. I wanted to learn how I can become a better coach.”

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Howard joked that he and Wright ran into each other in between media sessions ahead of Michigan’s Sweet 16 game against Villanova last March in San Antonio, and while the two said hello, there was no exchanging of information.

“We’re friends off the floor, but once we’re between the lines, we’re competing,” Howard said.

Michigan’s head man revealed that he and Wright will sit down again soon.

“We did talk for a while, we had great conversations, and we’re also going to have another meeting soon once the season’s over,” Howard said. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s just one of those days where you just, ‘Hey, lock it up. I’ve got a lot of questions.’”

Wright was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 and retired last spring after his fourth run to the Final Four. Wright and the Wildcats beat Michigan in his second-to-last victory. Wright, who led Villanova from 2001-22, won two national titles, in 2016 and 2018.

Howard was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2021 and has won five NCAA Tournament games at Michigan, making the Elite Eight in 2021 and Sweet 16 last season. He took over for Beilein, who is the program’s winningest head coach.

Juwan Howard pleased with Ohio State win

Michigan led wire to wire in the win over Ohio State, led by junior center Hunter Dickinson‘s 26 points, the most by a Wolverine against the Buckeyes since Manny Harris poured in an identical number in March of 2010.

However, Howard was more happy with the way Michigan played on the defensive end, holding Ohio State — a team that is 8-4 when shooting 50 percent or better from inside the arc — to just 43.8 percent on twos and 31.2 percent on threes. The Buckeyes made only 6 layups on 20 attempts and were out-scored in the paint, 30-22.

“Well, they handled it very business-line, just the approach starting in practice with the mindset of continuing to build the habits,” Howard said of Michigan’s players. “With the habits, doing things the right way. Yeah, the mistakes are going to happen, it’s a part of it. I make mistakes as a coach, they make mistakes as players, but being able to step on the gas pedal and don’t give up — stay on it, stay on it — that’s what I saw yesterday with our team start to finish.

“Defensively, making a huge impact and making them feel us, because we knew Ohio State is a very physical team. They also do a very good job of attacking the paint. They have guys that can get downhill. They’re strong, they’re physical, but they also are older, as well, so they’ve been in those moments before. But our guys were dialed in to what we worked on in practice, what we saw on film and trusting the game plan and trying to do it every play — every time, all the time — but also matching the physicality.”