'He's a real genuine guy'

Added 4-star wing Donovan Johnson: "He's a great recruiter. He's good with the kids, because he knows he's been in our position before. He knows what we've been through and how we do it. So he understands what we have to do. "

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Howard, who grew up in Chicago, was a McDonald's All-American and regarded as a top-10 prospect in his class before arriving at Michigan. After three years in Ann Arbor, he was taken fifth overall in the 1994 draft and played in the league from 1994 to 2013, becoming the first player to receive a $ 100 million contract. As his Jace pointed out, Howard has not been a franchise player – he has also been a "minimum franchise" player sitting at the end of the bench.

While current recruits were not alive during their career, they are still familiar with different forms of media. With LeBron James and the Miami Heat during the tail end of Howard's career. Hunter Dickinson, a 4-star center, mentioned playing with Howard's digital avatar in a version of NBA2K, the popular annual video game series.

Others have learned about Howard's Michigan career through "The Fab Five," an ESPN documentary released in 2011.

"I've watched it probably six or seven times," said 4-star forward Lance Ware. "Back in the day, I used to watch all the stuff they did, how they changed the culture of basketball – that's an unbelievable story."

It's clear that Howard's background is a major part of his pitch to recruits, as he looks to Michigan.

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"He wants me to be the best I can be," said Christopher. "Of course, he understands that I want to make it to the NBA. He emphasized that he wants me to be in his program and go to the NBA from there.

"So long it takes," he said, "It's a big thing with me, it's a big thing with me." too. "

Howard, a trained center, He has also spoken to an assistant coach for the Miami Heat, where he worked on developing players like Hassan Whiteside and Bam Adebayo.

In recruiting Dickinson, Howard specifically mentioned Whiteside and Adebayo. Dickinson, who was tracked by Michigan's staff during the July evaluation period at the Peach Jam.

"I was interested in Michigan before the offer, before Juwan Howard was there with Beilein Coach," Dickinson said. "Now that they've hired Juwan Howard, I'd say my interest is probably not there, probably a little more. Because I feel like he's like a 6-10 big man, he says he can get me to the league. He's got the connections and the abilities to get me there. I feel like that's a really good option for me. "

NBA player and coach, Howard seems to possess the ability to connect in daily conversations. Nimari Burnett, a 5-star guard who is from Chicago and has known Howard for years, Howard's personality as "very outgoing."

"He definitely keeps a conversation going on," Burnett said, "and he has a really good personality.

"He's just a good guy. You'll have a good conversation with him, he's never going to swerve the wrong way. "

Although Christopher, one of the highest-profile recruits in the nation, was busy at the Peach Jam, Howard was still able to communicate via text messages. Howard noticed that Christopher wore a pair of 'Stranger Things' themed sneakers during a game and texted Christopher to talk about shoes.

"We definitely have some cool conversations," Christopher said.

Five-star forward Scottie Barnes, meanwhile, shared a story of Howard's ability to mentor younger players. Barnes, a heavily recruited prospect, got to know Howard while playing at University School in Florida with Jace and Jett Howard. Howard helped Barnes "mentally throughout the season" by giving him tips on his game.

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"To me, Juwan's pretty cool, chill dude," Barnes said. "I feel like he's a big influence. The way he has respect for people, and he's just an awesome guy. "

Of course, Howard is still learning the ropes. He is less than two months into his tenure as a coach, and has had even less time to recruit. He will continue to adapt as he gains experience. Still, it's clear that Howard – with his background, personality and ability to relate – has made some headway in Michigan's recruitment of its top targets.

"He's pretty new to the game, you can tell," Dickinson said. "He does not have the recruiting game yet. But that's fine. I understand. He's not really used to this. He's used to getting the people who they draft. That's not a knock on him. I like his (genuineness), I feel like he's a real genuine guy. I appreciate that. "