University of Michigan coach Juwan Howard recently turned down a Los Angeles Lakers overture for the franchise’s coaching job, opting to remain at his alma mater, where Howard will coach his two sons next season, sources said ESPN with.
The Lakers have a formal recruitment process, but courting college coaches usually requires a different level of discretion. The Lakers have a finalist list that includes Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts, sources said. The Lakers are expected to conduct in-person interviews in the near future.
The Lakers have never made a formal offer to Howard, sources said, but it’s clear his candidacy would have moved quickly to this stage had he expressed interest in the job. While Howard has a playing history with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and star LeBron James, he has consistently maintained that he plans to remain in Ann Arbor, where his sons Jace and Jett will be juniors and freshmen, respectively, next season.
Howard applied for the job as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat in Los Angeles in 2019 before taking the job as head coach in Michigan. Howard’s success in the collegiate ranks – coupled with his resume as a six-year Heat assistant and two-time NBA champion as a player – has sparked a great deal of interest in him from NBA teams.
Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens was interested in Howard for his coaching inauguration a year ago, but Howard turned down that overture, too, sources said. The Celtics hired Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka.
Like Howard, Ham is another ex-player with strong leadership, presence, winning streak and tactical acumen from his previous work with senior head coaches. Sources say Ham is also a strong contender for opening as the Charlotte Hornets head coach. Ham worked with Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak as the Lakers’ assistant coach a decade ago.
Stotts and Atkinson both bring experience as NBA head coaches.
Most recently, Stotts coached the Blazers from 2012 to 2021 and has made the playoffs in his last eight straight seasons on the job — including two trips to the Western Conference semifinals and a berth in the 2019 conference finals. He is known for his offensive creativity and the Ability to build relationships with his star players.
Atkinson has made a name for himself in player development both as an assistant and as a head coach in the NBA. He spent more than three years as head coach of the Nets, which he led to a playoff appearance in his third season in 2018-19.
Howard is 93-61 in three seasons at Michigan and was named 2021 national coach of the year. His tenure with the Wolverines included top-five poll finishes in all three years, a Big Ten regular-season title, and two trips to the NCAA tournament.