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Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer
Michigan coach Juwan Howard attended a local children’s hospital and was photographed at a high school basketball game on Tuesday as speculation continues to mount about his job status.
Howard and his team went to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital before Howard went to watch five-star junior Trey McKenney alongside Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.
Last week, Howard was involved in an incident with strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson, sources told ESPN. No punches were thrown, according to multiple sources, but the two men needed to be separated.
The Athletic reported Wednesday that the university placed a zero-tolerance policy on Howard following his altercation with Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft in 2022, when he hit Krabbenhoft in the face in the postgame handshake line, setting off a brawl involving coaches and players from both teams. The outlet also reported Sanderson filed an HR claim following last week’s incident with Howard.
Howard traveled with the team and was on the bench for Michigan’s game against Iowa on Sunday, while Sanderson was not in attendance.
A university spokesperson told ESPN on Monday they “do not have a comment on the situation.”
Howard has yet to return to his full-time role as the team’s head coach following a successful heart procedure in September. The scheduled operation was to resect an aortic aneurysm and repair an aortic valve, conditions identified during a routine medical check earlier in the offseason. Howard returned to the bench during Michigan’s trip to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis as an observer and has transitioned to an assistant coach role for the last two weeks.
Howard has reportedly targeted this Saturday’s home game against Eastern Michigan for his return as head coach. Former teammate and fellow Fab Five member Jalen Rose tweeted as much on Sunday night.
Associate head coach Phil Martelli has served as Michigan’s interim head coach during Howard’s absence. The Wolverines sit at 5-5 overall (1-1 in the Big Ten) following a 3-0 start.
Howard, who played at Michigan from 1991-94 before being selected fifth overall in the NBA draft, returned to his alma mater as head coach in 2019. He guided the Wolverines to a Big Ten regular-season championship in 2021, receiving a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament and making a run to the Elite Eight before losing to UCLA. Michigan reached the Sweet 16 the following season, before struggling last year en route to an 18-16 campaign.