{"id":19735,"date":"2021-03-27T02:15:32","date_gmt":"2021-03-27T07:15:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=19735"},"modified":"2021-03-27T02:15:32","modified_gmt":"2021-03-27T07:15:32","slug":"juwan-howard-head-coach-of-the-university-michigan-and-leonard-hamilton-head-coach-of-florida-state-university-are-2-of-the-only-13-black-coaches-that-led-major-mens-basketball-programs-t","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=19735","title":{"rendered":"JUWAN HOWARD, HEAD COACH OF THE UNIVERSITY MICHIGAN AND Leonard Hamilton, HEAD COACH of Florida State UNIVERSITY ARE 2 OF THE Only 13 Black Coaches THAT Led Major Men\u2019s Basketball Programs This Year, AND THEY ARE FacING Off In The Sweet 16, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two decades later, Juwan Howard and Leonard Hamilton come full circle<\/h1>\n
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Juwan Howard was a star forward for the Washington Wizards<\/a> during the 2000-01 NBA season, averaging 18.2 points and seven rebounds before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks<\/a> as part of an eight-player deal.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was one of the most productive seasons of Howard\u2019s NBA playing days, and it came under the tutelage of Wizards\u2019 coach Leonard Hamilton.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, two decades later, Howard has his alma mater in the Sweet 16 as a No. 1 seed for the first time since his own college career. And the only thing standing between the Michigan basketball team and an Elite Eight berth is Hamilton\u2019s Florida State Seminoles<\/a>. Now 72 years old, Hamilton has built a perennial contender at Florida State<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOur relationship runs deep,\u201d Howard said during a Zoom call with reporters Thursday. \u201cIt goes back to the time when I played for coach Hamilton when I was playing for the Washington Wizards. The respect that I have for a coach as a man as a father and also as a coach, obviously, during his time coaching University of Miami as well as Florida State. He\u2019s had amazing success, great knowledge for the game of basketball, people and his resume speaks for himself.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

After Howard was initially hired last May, Hamilton was one of the first people he visited. Howard used the opportunity to pick his mentor\u2019s brain.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the time, Howard had never coached a college basketball game. Hamilton, on the other hand, was a veteran NCAA coach, having established successful programs at Oklahoma State<\/a>, Miami and Florida State.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOur conversations were very good,\u201d Howard said. \u201cI learned a lot. I will continue to use coach Hamilton as a mentor, a father figure, an example of what great successful coaches look like on this collegiate level.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beyond Hamilton, there\u2019s another element of familiarity with the Seminoles for Howard. Florida State star freshman Scottie Barnes grew up in the Sunshine State, where he crossed paths with Howard\u2019s two youngest sons, Jace and Jett, on the AAU circuit. Eventually, the three of them became high school teammates and won a Florida state title together.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cScottie and I have known each other for a very long time, growing up in the Florida area,\u201d Howard said. \u201c\u2026 Scottie has a great relationship with me and my wife. We love Scottie, we of course admire his success thus far at FSU. I\u2019m so proud of him.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s Sweet 16 matchup is set for 5 p.m. at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. While this season is Howard\u2019s NCAA Tournament debut as a coach, Hamilton is no stranger to this stage of the college basketball season.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether or not Howard, who was named National Coach of the Year last week, can outduel one of his role models remains to be seen. Either way, Sunday\u2019s matchup is only an added layer to their budding mentorship.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as what I learned from coach Hamilton, I learned a lot,\u201d Howard said. \u201cI\u2019m going to continue to keep learning because I have that growth mindset. He\u2019s a great example. John Thompson, coach Leonard Hamilton, coach John Chaney and many others, those coaches are paving the way for a guy like myself and young other coaches that are coming in. \u2026 Coach Hamilton will always be that friend, father figure that I will always lean on.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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