When his team needed a spark 48 hours after a heavy loss, Michigan coach Juwan Howard turned to a rival: Draymond Green, the NBA star and former Michigan State star.
Howard said he used a video of Green trash-talking the Wolverines to motivate his team ahead of Thursday’s 69-50 victory over the Spartans, sealing the program’s first Big Ten title since 2014.
In the video, Green said per player that he hoped Michigan would “never” win a game, demonstrating the intensity of the rivalry between the two schools.
“He had a nice little video that I wanted the guys to listen to,” Howard said after the game. “I think they really enjoyed watching it and listening to the words being said.”
The former Fab Five star and sophomore coach didn’t reveal details about the video or its origins, but his players said it boosted a team that started Thursday’s game in hopes of losing Tuesday’s home to an Illinois van. 76-53 to forget. team that played without Ayo Dosunmu.
“It felt great and after that it’s even more fun to play against Michigan State,” said Mike Smith, a Columbia graduate transfer who had nine points in his first rivalry game between Michigan and Michigan. “The coach showed us a video of Draymond Green. He just said he wished we would never win a game. That just shows how aggressive this game is.”
Howard, now a strong contender for coach of the year after leading his team to the first Big Ten title in seven years, has lived up to the hype, as evidenced by this season’s run and his success on the recruiting path. Both of the team’s losses this season – in Minnesota in January and Tuesday against Illinois – feel like outliers for a schedule expected to be a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday.
“It’s gratifying,” said Howard of his team’s title run, including a three-week break due to coronavirus health and safety protocols. “We didn’t make excuses. We rolled up our sleeves and found out along the way. A lot of things were thrown in our path, but we made no excuses for them.”
Isaiah Livers, who retired from the NBA draft last summer and returned to Michigan, kissed the floor of the Crisler Arena after going to the bench in the closing minutes of Thursday’s game. The senior said the Wolverines’ “journey” is not over yet, as they have bigger dreams they hope to achieve in the coming weeks, including a national championship.
“The Big Ten title … that’s a great achievement for me,” Livers said after the game. ‘We all play like brothers. I want the natty [national championship]also. We’re going to win a Big Ten championship, have a March Madness run and, fingers crossed, we’re going to do it neatly. “
Howard chuckled when asked if he should use a rival to inspire his team, but he also added that he respects Green. While he was an assistant coach in the NBA, Howard said, he pulled Green aside for a game and told him he respected the way he played.
“Draymond,” Howard said, “he’s a Hall of Famer in my opinion, at some point when he’s done playing.”
Thursday’s peak of the Golden State Warriors was just motivation for an old foe.