Juwan Howard's Wife Was 'Too Damn Happy About Tennessee' During Son's Recruitment

INDIANAPOLIS -- There is a common bond between Michigan's Juwan Howard and Tennessee's Rick Barnes, and it came from the recruiting trail. During the last cycle of recruiting, the Vols went really hard at Juwan's son Jett, who was close to picking the Vols over his dad's team. The mutual respect between the two coaches was evident on Friday as they both discussed the process.

Jett Howard was a 2022 prospect that Rick Barnes decided to go after, even though he knew it would be a tough pull getting him away from Michigan and his father. But that didn't stop Barnes from putting on the full-court press during an official visit Jett took to Knoxville this past fall.

The elder Howard was unable to make the trip with his wife and son to Knoxville due to hosting a 5-star prospect at Michigan. But once he spoke with his wife about the visit, Juwan started to get a little nervous about what his son might end up doing.

"My wife was more like the lead on that recruiting process. She is also there to help during the official visit. I remember I couldn't go because we had an official visit lined up as well and a very important one that came out to visit Michigan. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to hear the recruiting process even though I had had some opportunities to speak with their staff and assistant coach and head coach, but having your son who now you've got to go through a recruiting war with one of the top programs in the SEC, and Michigan being Michigan, and I couldn't come there as arrogant and say, hey, this is family, family gotta stick with family.