How Did Fans React to Juwan Howard Getting the 1st $100M NBA Contract at 23?

[lib123]

Coli OGs, what were people saying in '96 after Juwan Howard got that 7-year $100M contract, which is $285M inflation-adjusted in today's money? I can only imagine how Pippen felt when he heard that lol.

 

[OG Talk]

I remember it clearly. It was the summer before Pac died, the last season of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Mike, Pippen and Rodman were getting their dynasty on..

Gary Payton got the bag that free agency summer and the draft that summer was the A.I., Kobe, Marbury licks..

Me as a teenager was just amazed and happy to see another Black man build generational wealth.

 

[Lefty Gunz]

Paying tribute to the NBA's 1996 offseason, the wackiest one by miles

 

[FAH1223]

I'm too young to know what was going on then but reading what the OG Bullets fans say... its similar to how the fanbase thinks of Beal right now.

This article is eight months after Jordan and Unseld traded him to Dallas.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/12/08/a-role-with-no-relish/b436bbef-2849-4c1d-8e4c-d378210fd88d/

Juwan Howard, the power forward upon whom the Washington Bullets/Wizards once pegged their future -- signing him to a seven-year, $105 million contract -- is now the NBA's highest-paid reserve.

Traded to the Dallas Mavericks late last season in an eight-player swap after spending 6 1/2 seasons in Washington, Howard -- who is making $18.7 million in the next-to-last season of his contract -- has been coming off the bench for one of the deepest teams in the league for the past eight games.

Howard, who will face Washington on Saturday night for the first time since being traded, is not happy about it, either. But he said he's not going to upset the chemistry of one of the league's best (12-7) and most exciting teams.

"I have confidence in myself; I know I'm a starter in this league," Howard said after practice today. "I can give you 19 [points], 10 [rebounds], or 20 and 10 a night. I used to be a 38-minute-per-game guy. I've got to handle it as a professional. If I get upset and start pouting and being a disgruntled player, all it's going to do is hurt my performance on the floor and hurt the team and that's not my objective. That's not what I want to do at all. I've never been a guy who's handled things in an unprofessional manner. But I'm not thrilled about it."

Howard started the first 11 games of the season but was relegated to the bench when Mavericks Coach Don Nelson moved versatile forward Dirk Nowitzki from small to power forward. Unlike many of the different coaches Howard played for in Washington, Nelson did not want to use Howard at small forward, opting instead to use defensive stopper Adrian Griffin. Dallas has gone 6-2 since the switch.

"We needed to have some scoring punch off the bench and that was the easiest way to go," Nelson said. "We had lost three in a row, the offense wasn't clicking and it kind of solidified things. We're playing a lot better now. I'm sure it's hard for him."

Howard, drafted fifth overall by Washington in 1994, has produced. He scored a season-high 36 points when he was still in the starting lineup when the Mavericks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies early in the season. He has also led Dallas in rebounding seven times. He is the team's second-leading rebounder (7.8 per game) and its fourth-leading scorer (12.8 points). Howard averaged 18.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in his career with the Wizards.

For what he has or has not done, Howard has been mentioned in trade talks, most notably in a supposed multiplayer deal that would bring Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone to Dallas. Parties from Dallas and Utah have denied such a deal, although there is speculation that talks are ongoing.

As was the case in Washington, Howard said he couldn't worry about being traded or about coaching decisions.

He is looking forward to playing against some of his old teammates as well as swingman Michael Jordan, who practiced today and is expected to start Saturday night, according to Wizards Coach Doug Collins.

As president of basketball operations, Jordan orchestrated the trade of Howard for Christian Laettner, Courtney Alexander, Etan Thomas and Loy Vaught (who retired).

There is no resentment, though. Just months after the blockbuster deal, Jordan played with Howard in daily pickup games in Chicago as part of his training for his comeback from three years in retirement and the two have a very good relationship.

"I had some fun playing for Jordan for a brief moment," Howard said. "I know the reason why they traded me. It was a business move. The Wizards needed salary cap space in order to get some players down the line. He could have kept me. That could have been a good scenario, but they took the opportunity to trade me here. I'm not upset. I'm just happy for myself and also I want to see Washington do well. That's still a place I consider home. I spent so many years there; I got drafted there. I can't help but call a place like that home."

Howard has kept a close eye on the Wizards, who are off to just a slightly better start than last season's team that featured Howard, Rod Strickland and Mitch Richmond, who have all since departed. Their struggles aren't surprising, he said.

"They're trying to make a youth movement while having the best basketball player of all time in the mix and that's a huge challenge for everyone, the coaching staff and the players," Howard said. "They're going to get some bumps and bruises. Most importantly, the organization is preparing for the future."

Then a wry smile came across his face.

"Now MJ gets to see what me, Rod and Mitch went through," he said.

 

[lib123]

I remember it clearly. It was the summer before Pac died, the last season of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Mike, Pippen and Rodman were getting their dynasty on..

Gary Payton got the bag that free agency summer and the draft that summer was the A.I., Kobe, Marbury licks..

Me as a teenager was just amazed and happy to see another Black man build generational wealth.

Unfortunately many of them didn't build generational wealth. It's funny seeing top earning players from the mid-to-late 90s and 2000s saying they wish they were born later so they could get today's NBA contracts. If they invested the money they got back then wisely, they would have tons of money today. Imagine having millions to invest in DC or NYC in the 90s before gentrification. The only former players who should be wishing for today's NBA money are those whose careers ended in the 60s to early 90s.

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

It was a pretty big deal. Shaq was bytching that Zo got paid like that too

I remember they tried to guilt trip KG for that 7 year 120 or whatever that was suggesting he should restructure so they could build a team around him

Lol

 

[Regular_P]

Howard was one of a series of contracts that led to the lockout and the current salary structure we have today, which is MUCH better.

I remember he was supposed to go to Miami but the contract they gave him was voided because it broke some rules, so he wound up back in Washington. It was a pretty big story and I think unprecedented.

 

[Surreal]

We were happy for him

 

[OG Talk]

Unfortunately many of them didn't build generational wealth. It's funny seeing top earning players from the mid-to-late 90s and 2000s saying they wish they were born later so they could get today's NBA contracts. If they invested the money they got back then wisely, they would have tons of money today. Imagine having millions to invest in DC or NYC in the 90s before gentrification. The only former players who should be wishing for today's NBA money are those whose careers ended in the 60s to early 90s.

Yeah you're right but I think Juwan got it right. I was telling my lady the other night. Dude got 8 figures as an NBA player, 7 figures as a D 1 Coach and now has a son that's gonna get 7 figures minimum as another NBA prospect.It's is exceptional feet..

All coming from a single mom from the housing projects of 1980s Chicago.

Salute to Juwan.

 

[FAH1223]

Howard was one of a series of contracts that led to the lockout and the current salary structure we have today, which is MUCH better.

I remember he was supposed to go to Miami but the contract they gave him was voided because it broke some rules, so he wound up back in Washington. It was a pretty big story and I think unprecedented.

They had a press conference and everything

And Miami violated the salary cap rules.

Revising the Miami Heat's battle with the NBA over Juwan Howard in 1996 | HeatHoops

Heat president Pat Riley and NBA Commissioner Stern squared off in a battle over Juwan Howard in the summer of 1996

heathoops.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1996/08/01/nba-rejects-heats-contract-with-howard/fe5546ac-b7ed-4041-bfda-4991c642dc20/#

 

[mastermind]

I was a kid and remember that summer.

The area was literally in mourning when Juwan signed with Miami. Chris Webber had a radio show on WKYS at he time and was blown that he was leaving. When the contract got voided and he signed back, it was party time.

I think his career is thought of greater if he stays in Miami. Multiple time all star, etc.

Instead he played here and the fans turned on him after three years to the point it was acrimonious. Howard ain’t do shyt wrong and his numbers never really changed, but he was not worth that price.

 

[Sauce Dab]

Yeah you're right but I think Juwan got it right. I was telling my lady the other night. Dude got 8 figures as an NBA player, 7 figures as a D 1 Coach and now has a son that's gonna get 7 figures minimum as another NBA prospect.It's is exceptional feet..

All coming from a single mom from the housing projects of 1980s Chicago.

Salute to Juwan.

He was an nba coach before he got the Michigan job. Juwan done had a super successful career in basketball

 

[HabitualChiller]

Unfortunately many of them didn't build generational wealth. It's funny seeing top earning players from the mid-to-late 90s and 2000s saying they wish they were born later so they could get today's NBA contracts. If they invested the money they got back then wisely, they would have tons of money today. Imagine having millions to invest in DC or NYC in the 90s before gentrification. The only former players who should be wishing for today's NBA money are those whose careers ended in the 60s to early 90s.

This. They were wealthy at a time where inflation wasn't out of control like it is now, so shyt was largely "affordable". The average home price in 1995 was less than 200K, which is 500K less than it is currently.

 

[lib123]

Yeah you're right but I think Juwan got it right. I was telling my lady the other night. Dude got 8 figures as an NBA player, 7 figures as a D 1 Coach and now has a son that's gonna get 7 figures minimum as another NBA prospect.It's is exceptional feet..

All coming from a single mom from the housing projects of 1980s Chicago.

Salute to Juwan.

True but Juwan was allegedly a scumbag with his oldest child. How do you sign a $105M contract but only offer $700/mo in child support? Especially shameful if BM was on welfare considering Juwan came from the projects himself.

"Howard's case represents the opposite end of the spectrum. In August 1996 he offered to pay $700 a month to Markita Robinson
of Detroit after it was determined that he was the father of their son, MarTez D'Shon Robinson. Having just signed a seven-year, $105 million contract, Howard was volunteering to contribute about a nickel for every $100 he earned (excluding endorsements). After rejecting the offer, Robinson, who was
intermittently on welfare from the time of the child's birth in February 1992 until December 1995, filed a suit seeking more than $11,000 per month that claimed, "Mr. Howard's initial response...was that the birth was [my] choice and therefore he should not have to pay child support." Howard and Robinson
settled out of court and refuse to discuss terms of the agreement."

https://vault.si.com/vault/1998/05/04/paternity-ward-fathering-out-of-wedlock-kids-has-become-commonplace-among-athletes-many-of-whom-seem-oblivious-to-the-legal-financial-and-emotional-consequences

 

[BrothaZay]

I remember it clearly. It was the summer before Pac died, the last season of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Mike, Pippen and Rodman were getting their dynasty on..

Gary Payton got the bag that free agency summer and the draft that summer was the A.I., Kobe, Marbury licks..

Me as a teenager was just amazed and happy to see another Black man build generational wealth.

nikka you wasn’t saying generational wealth back then shut up