Jamar Howard is part of the 2020 Pizza Hut Shocker Sports Hall of Fame induction class. The class will be inducted on Sat., Jan. 25.

Jamar Howard never hid his personality while playing basketball for Wichita State, which made him a fan favorite in Charles Koch Arena and a target on the road.
 
He came to Wichita State in 2001 to help coach Mark Turgeon rebuild. For the fans, he became an immediate rallying point for his energetic playing style, combative nature and smile.
 
"I thought he was an all-around amazing person," said Joe Stroud, a long-time fan who lists Howard as among his favorite Shockers. "He was friendly and he was caring. After a loss, you saw him and he would always talk to you. That's what made me become a fan of Jamar Howard."
 
Howard, a 6-foot-5 forward from Bishop Miege High School, loved that part of his college career. He lingered after games to chat, remembers giving shoes and headbands to students and felt an obligation to repay the fans for their cheers.
 
The fans always knew Howard's emotions – whether he was celebrating a dunk, disagreeing with a whistle or playing the villain on the road.
 
"Without the crowd, there would be no Wichita State basketball," he said. "I absolutely loved it. The coaches tell you not to do it, try to focus on the game. It's kind of hard when they're showing you so much love. I loved the interaction and talking to the fans after the game and hearing their thoughts about the team and about the players and how proud they are."
 
Howard starred as a bouncy forward who excelled at defense and played with maximum effort. He scored with a variety of acrobatic and unorthodox moves, mostly in the lane, and an unusual jump shot that occasionally extended to the three-point line.
 
He earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 2003 and 2004 and second-team honors in 2005. He was a four-time member of the MVC's All-Defensive Team and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2003.
 
In 2004, he finished as runner-up in MVC Player of the Year voting to Southern Illinois guard Darren Brooks.
 
He finished his career with 1,571 points to rank 10th on the career list. He averaged 12.7 points, shooting 53 percent from the field, and 5.7 rebounds for his career. His ability to drive and offensive rebound made him one of Wichita State's most productive foul shooters – his totals of 505 made and 746 attempted both rank second on the career list.
 
Howard's 153 career steals rank sixth.
 
Howard joined the Shockers in Turgeon's second season (2001-02) along with fellow freshmen Rob Kampman, Randy Burns and Paul Miller. They grew into a program-changing nucleus, taking Wichita State to the National Invitation Tournament in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Miller, who redshirted as a freshman, led the 2006 team to the Missouri Valley Conference title and the NCAA Tournament.
 
Those were important steps for a program that hadn't been to post-season play since 1989 and endured eight losing seasons in the 1990s.
 
Howard appreciated Turgeon and his assistant coaches for sticking with him in recruiting when other programs didn't. He said the leadership of older teammates such as Craig Steven, Troy Mack and C.C. McFall helped the program grow.
 
"It was about them teaching us how to play and how to come together as a better team," he said. "Without them, I probably never would have come to Wichita. They played a big role in my (recruiting) visit. They showed how much they wanted Wichita to change and get better."
 
That recruiting class helped revitalize Shocker basketball. In the past 17 seasons (since 2003), Wichita State recorded 15 winning records, eight NCAA bids and six to the NIT.
 
"(I'm proud) seeing how the team kept improving, year after year after year," he said. "Winning the conference. Winning the NIT. Going to the Sweet 16 and seeing where it all began."
 
Howard played in memorable games against Creighton, SIU and Missouri State as those programs battled near the top of the MVC. He starred in a thrilling double-overtime NIT loss at home to Florida State in 2004 and NIT wins over Houston and Western Kentucky in 2005.
 
A 2003 regular-season win over No. 12 Creighton, and star Kyle Korver, at the Kansas Coliseum is one of his fondest memories. The Shockers ended a seven-game losing streak to the Bluejays with an 80-74 win and defeated a ranked opponent for the first time since 1990.
 
"Finally winning, it was just a joy for the city," he said.