Break out the black shoes, black socks and baggy shorts.
Juwan Howard, a member of the Fab Five, is coming home.
Howard has agreed in principle to take over as the Michigan basketball coach, replacing John Beilein, the winningest coach in program history.
In essence, U-M is replacing a great coach who was never an assistant coach with someone who has never been a head coach, which brings up all kinds of concerns and question marks.
Howard is highly respected in the NBA after 19 years as a player and six as assistant coach for the Miami Heat. And plenty of famous people have been vouching for him and singing his praises.
"Absolutely the right choice," LeBron James wrote on Twitter. "One of my favorite people I've ever met at the age of 16 and been around since then."
But Howard has never been a head coach _ I'm sorry but coaching the Heat's summer league team doesn't count.
And he has no college coaching experience.
So the first question is: Will he be successful as a head coach?
And here is the harsh truth: Frankly, we don't know.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel is taking a huge risk by hiring a coach with no head coaching experience.
Although I have to admit, some of my perspective might be clouded by some first-time head coaches around here.
See: Brad Ausmus, who was unable to get a World Series title for former Tigers owner Mike Ilitch.
See: Matt Patricia, who did not exactly impress during his first season with the Lions.
So the fact that Howard is a former U-M star and played in the NBA for a long time and made a lot of money, or was part of a highly regarded franchise and comes with the recommendation of lots of famous names does not guarantee anything.
By all accounts, Howard is respected in NBA circles.
But what will he be like as a head coach?
We don't know if Howard will be able to push the right buttons or draw up the right plays or manage the clock or make the right adjustments in a game.
And we don't know even know if he will be able to be an effective recruiter.
Maybe, you would think that Howard's role as a member of the Fab Five would help recruiting, but I doubt it.
Maybe, that will impress parents of recruits. Or grandparents.
But I doubt that it is going to be the sole factor in landing a recruit.
You want to know what makes him most appealing to current recruits?
It's his ability to say, "I know the NBA. I played in the league for 19 years. I coached in the league for six years. I've got LeBron James on speed dial. And I can help you get into the league."
Now, that will grab a recruit's attention, even if the recruit might say, "What's a speed dial?"
But his lack of head coaching experience in college is a glaring concern, and Howard needs to surround himself with veteran assistants who know the college game and know all the of ins and outs of the NCAA rule book.
