Juwan Howard is an American former basketball, one-time all-star, and one-time All-NBA power forward. He is one of the most popular and richest Basketball Players born in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
This article covers Juwan’s family history, roots, career, and personal life; read for full details.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Juwan Howard |
| Date of Birth | February 7, 1973 |
| Age | 51 years old |
| Place of Birth | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Height | 6 feet 9 inches (approximately 206 cm) |
| Weight | Approximately 113 kg |
| Mother | Helena |
| Grandmother: | Jannie Mae Howard |
| Father | Leroy Watson (biological) |
| Wife: | Jenine Wardally |
| Children: | Juwan Jr. Jace Jett Joshua Sky Starr |
| Education | Chicago Vocational Career Academy |
| College | Michigan |
Juwan Howard Biography
Juwan Howard was born on February 7, 1973. The basketball legend is 51 years old.
He is the grandson of Jannie Mae Howard. She was born to African-American sharecroppers in Belzoni, Mississippi, and gave birth to four daughters by the age of 19.
Which included Helena, Juwan’s mother. Helena also worked at a restaurant in Chicago; this was when she was pregnant with Leroy Watson, Horward’s father. They both got married immediately after they realized that she was Helena was pregnant with Julan.
Helena was only 17 years old and did not want to be limited in raising her child, so Jannie Mae, his grandmother, adopted him. Juwan’s biological father wanted to name him Leroy Watson, but that idea was countered.
Even after the adoption, his mother normally visited occasionally while he was growing up. He grew up with his cousins, had no siblings, and had no relationship with his biological parents.
He was influenced by his grandmother as a child, and he became her “pride and source of joy.”
Juwan Howard Education
Juwan had his formal education at the Chicago Vocational Career Academy, where he played three seasons of varsity basketball. He became the school’s star player and was named a 1991 All-American basketball player by Parade magazine.
He also won the McDonald’s All-American honors, where he was chosen and served as vocational’s rearrival king.
Juwan began his career with Chris Webber and Jalen Roseone as one of the top five high school basketball players in the country at Michigan. He and Markita Blyden have a son, and he is the runner-up for Michigan’s Miss Basketball Award in 1990.
After high school, he focused on playing for the University of Michigan and was also part of the Fab Five, which included Jimmy King, Ray Jackson, Chris Webber, and Jalen Rose.
In 1992 and 1993, the Fab Five’s joint force and talent got the University of Michigan into the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship finals.
But because of the scandal caused by the Fab Five, the NCAA’s severe sanctions wilted and removed most, if not all, of the University of Michigan’s records and accomplishments.
However, Juwan was not personally mentioned in the incident, so his All-American season accomplishments and records for 1993-94 remain.
In 1994, after his sophomore season, he revealed his wish to join the NBA draft at Michigan. Unfortunately, he was one of the five Fab Five and also in the basketball scandal that came up at the University of Michigan. However, he was never mentioned.
Juwan Howard Family
Juwan’s mom is Helena, the daughter of a sharecropper, Leroy and Watson. His grandmother raised him along with two other cousins.
He is also the proud father of six children: four handsome sons and two beautiful daughters. Juwan Jr., Jace, Jett, Joshua, Sky, and Starr Howard.
Juwan Jr. is the son of Markita Blyden, the runner-up for Michigan’s Miss Basketball. This was back when Markita Blyden and her twin sister won the 1990 Class A state championship game for their high school, Detroit’s Murray–Wright.
Later, Juwan Howard married Jenine Wardally and had two sons: Jace, born in late September 2001, and Jett, two years younger. Jace left for the University of Michigan and played under his father’s tutelage. Jett also played with his brother, Jace, at Michigan. He was then drafted to play for the Orlando Magic.
Juwan Howard Wife
Juwan got married to Jenine after many years of dating. They both got married in 2002. Jenine was born in Brooklyn, New York, and resides in Miami, Florida.
Her birthday falls on February 7, 1975, making her 49 years old today. Before their marriage, they were already blessed with a child named Jace. Together, they raised him. In the space of a year, they had another child, both of whom have followed their father’s professional footsteps.
Jenine is a woman of many talents and pursuits. She excels as a singer, author, philanthropist, and businesswoman, contributing to her impressive net worth of $1 million. Jenine also has three sisters named Shakira, Lisa, and Maya.
Notably, she is also the founder of The Juice Foundation, a cause dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles through dieting.
Juwan Howard’s family made a presence during the 2023 NBA Draft, as his son Jett was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 11th pick. Among the attendees, fans couldn’t help but direct their attention to Juwan’s wife, Jenine Wardally, who was there to support Jett’s big moment.
Juwan Howard Children
Howard has six children presently. All four sons are following the family’s steps and doing well in basketball.: Juwan Howard Jr.. born on February 5, 1992).
He is the son of Markita Blyden, the runner-up for Michigan’s Miss Basketball when she, along with her twin sister, led Murray–Right High School in Detroit to the 1990 Class A state championship game.
Juwan Jr. finished his senior season at Detroit’s Pershing High School in the spring of 2010. As a junior, he led his high school to the Michigan High School Athletic Association state championship
Juwan Jr. is a forward for the Sioux Falls Skyface and an All-Horizon League 2nd-team selection for the Detroit Titans two times.
Jace Howard is a former Gulliver Prep, where he joined the University program and also won the Class 5A state title. Currently, he is an undergraduate student at UM, and he is majoring in Sociology, Law, and Justice with a minor in Business.
Jett, on the other hand, attended the minicamp for the 2019 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team and also starred at Allen Iverson Classic. He is also a two-time champion and the No.20 prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft Top 100 Big Board Athletic’s latest.
Joshua and Starr, just like their brothers and father, are athletes. Joshua applies his father’s basketball passion and career, while Starr is a lacrosse player for the Clemson Tigers.
Juwan Howard’s Professional Career
In the 1994 to 1995 late September season, there were rumors that Juwan’s draft rights would be given to another team.
As the 11th NBA draft selection in 1994, on November 9, an NBA contract was signed by Carlos Rogers, which made Juwan Howard the last first-round selection without a contract.
The Bullets played a match with the Detroit Pistons in October at Crisler Arena in the University of Michigan, which featured Juwan Howard, who, on a February 11, 1996 game, earned an NBA All-Star Game selection. The only one for his career.
Juwan also ended the season by scoring 20 points in his last 16 games. After Bernard King, Juwan made to post back-to-back 40-point games on April 17, 1996, against Boston, which made him the second player in Washington franchise history, with 42 points that proved to be the height of his career.
His impressive ending gave him the title of NBA Player of the Month award in April. Statistically, 1995–96 proved to be Juwan’s best season. During the 1995 -1996 season, Juwan had 6th in points scores and 10th in points, finishing third place in the NBA in minutes played.
On May 22, 2019, he was announced as the head coach of the University of Michigan men’s basketball team, the Wolverines.
He signed a five-year contract, and in 2021, he led the team to a 14–3 Big Ten record and the first Big Ten regular season title in seven years. He was also named the Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year, Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, and Sporting News Coach of the Year. Plus, the USBWA gave him the Henry Iba Award.
In 2021, The NCAA Division named the University of Michigan basketball team, The Wolverines, as the No. 1 seed men’s basketball tournament. This made Juwan the first person in NCAA history, as the No. 1 seed as a player and a coach, to enter the tournament.
Michigan also signed Juwan to a 5-year contract extension on November 16, 2021, this was to last through the 2025–26 season. An altercation happened on February 20, 2022, at a game in the Kohl Center between the Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan.
Juwan Howard was suspended the following day, and this extended for the rest of Michigan’s regular season; he was fined $40,000 for violating the Big Ten Conference’s Sportsmanship Policy.
He was later allowed to return for the next game, which was the Big Ten Tournament, and also the NCAA tournament. At the end of the game, the Wolverines reached Sweet Sixteen.
Juwan Howard Net Worth
As a retired American basketball player who had played professionally and was also the head coach of the Wolverines men’s basketball team at the University of Michigan, Juwan has a current net worth of $126 million.
Juwan was the first NBA player to sign a $100 million contract. This was when the Washington Bullets made him an offer, and he agreed to a deal.
Here is Juwan Howard’s net worth history in a tabular form:
| Year | Net Worth (in millions) |
|---|---|
| 2013 | $73.8 million |
| 2014 | $74.0 million |
| 2015 | $74.2 million |
| 2016 | $74.5 million |
| 2017 | $74.8 million |
| 2018 | $75.0 million |
| 2019 | $76.5 million |
| 2020 | $78.0 million |
| 2021 | $79.0 million |
| 2022 | $80.0 million |
| 2023 | $126 million |
Juwan Howard’s Real Estate
Juwan bought a townhouse on the north side of the River of Chicago for $490,000 in 1996.
In 2009, he bought another house worth $2.55 million. This one is a three-bedroom house with a 3,000-square-foot unit located in the Trump International Hotel & Tower.
Again, in 2005, he purchased a 3.5-acre property worth $11.775 million in the Gables Estates of South Florida.
His intention was to build a dock for his yacht, the Fab 5, and a mansion for himself. Juwan later sold the home in a week for $10 million, just after the 2012 Heat championship.