Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

NBA legends LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have thrown their support behind former Miami Heat teammate Juwan Howard's candidacy for the University of Michigan head coaching job.

James and Wade reacted on Twitter after Miami Heat Beat reported Tuesday that Howard is in line to lead the Wolverines program:

Howard spent the final three years of his playing career in Miami, winning back-to-back NBA championships alongside James and Wade in 2012 and 2013 before immediately joining the Heat's coaching staff ahead of the 2013-14 season.

The 46-year-old Chicago native, a Michigan alum, has spent the past six years working as an assistant to Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and could take over one of the top jobs in college hoops.

John Beilein, who'd led the Michigan program since 2007, left to become the new head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's his first NBA job after more than four decades in the collegiate ranks.

The success Penny Hardaway is having at the University of Memphis is surely going to get more schools to consider former players in their coaching searches.

Hardaway guided the Tigers to a 22-14 record and an NIT berth during his first year in charge. More impressively, he's attracted the top-ranked 2019 recruiting class with two 5-star and five 4-star prospects, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

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Former players, many of whom the current recruits likely watched growing up, possess a special appeal on the recruiting trail.

Between Howard's connections to Michigan, a 19-year NBA playing career, the time on the Heat bench as an assistant and the support of marquee names like James and Wade, he has all the makings of a home run hire for the Wolverines.