Playing nineteen years in the NBA can really teach you about having a competitive edge.
With that in mind, you would think that Juwan Howard Jr. learned all about it from his father, right?
Not quite.
Actually, his mother, who was a standout at Detroit Murray-Wright high school, stoked the flames of his hoops desire.
“Definitely from my mom I get my competitive edge,” Howard Jr. said. “She’s got an edge to her. She might not play now, but she still has that edge. And [what I learned] from my dad, the standpoint of just being professional. That’s one thing I can say. My dad has been in the game 19 years in the NBA. You have to know what you’re talking about. You have to know what you’re doing. He keeps that professionalism, and that’s what I try and [do] myself.”
For the second consecutive year, Howard Jr. will play on the HEAT’s Summer League squad. While the 24-year-old played sparingly last summer for Miami, he had a solid collegiate career at the University of Detroit Mercy. In fact, the guard averaged 17.5 points per contest and earned All-Horizon League Second Team honors as a senior.
Since graduating, Howard Jr. has been taking his body a lot more seriously. Perhaps a story he heard from his dad really prompted that. Howard Sr. drastically changed his eating habits going into his junior year at Michigan, which paid dividends on his performance.
“He decided to cut out all the pizza and things like that,” Howard Jr. said. “That speaks on him about how much discipline he has to get better.”
That kind of discipline and attention to detail have defined Howard Sr.’s three years as an assistant under Erik Spoelstra. As the head coach of the 2016 Summer League team, the 43-year-old Howard Sr. will have the unique distinction of working alongside his son.
Howard Sr. is overwhelmed with joy for the chance to help his son strive for his professional goals.
“Now I’m having the opportunity to coach my son on the basketball court on the professional level. It’s a dream come true,” Howard Sr. said. “I’m just so happy for him and for his development on how hard he’s worked, not only just on the collegiate level but throughout his life. His passion has always been basketball. He’s been around basketball all his life, and for him to get here to this point right now, I’m just so proud of him.”
Howard Jr. pretty much echoed his dad’s sentiments while expressing the respect level he has for the HEAT organization.
“It’s amazing,” Howard Jr. said. “Going through the years, being here when [the HEAT] won championships, and now to be here playing is amazing. It’s a blessing in the skies.”