Did Juwan Howard graduate from Michigan? Wolverines HC's academic background explored 

Right now, it's clearly no secret that Michigan Wolverines hoops coach Juwan Howard is an athlete through and through. An NBA veteran and a college hoops legend, Howard is one of the more well-known personalities in the game despite himself having a relatively modest professional career.

Everyone knows what he used to do as both a basketball player and a coach. But what about Juwan Howard's academics during his time in Ann Arbor? Things could get quite interesting, so without further do, let's begin.

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Did Juwan Howard graduate from Michigan?

Yes, he did, and that is despite him actually leaving college early to declare for the 1994 NBA draft, eventually going pro himself.

With his NBA career in full swing, Howard's studies were put in the backburner as with any other former collegiate athlete going to the pros. But he wouldn't be waiting that long, as he returned in 1995 to graduate with his own U-M class with a degree in general studies (via MGoBlue).

His decision to go back and finish his degree was him fulfilling his promise to his late grandmother (via The Washington post, archived on Google). Back then, he was a rookie with the Washington Bullets. Howard was able to finish his degree by taking summer classes in 1994, specifically during the NBA's off-season.

With his graduation, Juwan Howard became actually the first NBA athlete ever to leave college early for the draft, and still be able to graduate with his graduating class (via his official NBA Player Profile, which has since been taken down).

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How rare is it for NBA players to finish college degrees?

What Juwan Howard achieved is quite rare among his NBA peers. It's easy to see why: if you're a highly touted college hoops player with a chance to go pro, there's an extremely high chance you'll go for it--the fame, riches, and everything else are more than enough to entice anyone.

That said, how many NBA players actually finish their college degrees? There's no definitive number out there, but there are a handful of well-educated players in the NBA, and one could even find it surprising who these players are.

Here's a quick list of them, some of them active or inactive/retired/out of the league (via With My Degree):

• Stephen Curry - Golden State's legendary sharpshooter has a degree in sociology from Davidson, where he played for three seasons.
• Chris Paul - The iconic Point God earned a degree in communication from Wake Forest University, which is a very highly touted academic institution.
• Grant Hill - Hill graduated from Duke University with a degree in history and political science
• Tim Duncan - A Wake Forest alumnus, the legendary San Antonio Spur earned a degree in psychology from the university.
• Shaquille O'Neal - Technically a Doctor of Education, the Big Diesel earned a degree in general studies from LSU.
• Michael Jordan - The arguable GOAT of basketball, Michael Jordan graduated from the University of North Carolina with a degree in geography.