Michigan Basketball in strong position after making cut list of 5-star

Michigan basketball has made yet another list cut for a five-star recruit. This time it’s from Caleb Houstan, a five-star wing from Florida who included Michigan in his top-four today.

This is becoming a regular occurrence for Juwan Howard and Michigan basketball. Despite not landing a five-star yet in his time in Ann Arbor, Juwan Howard continues to put the Wolverines right in the thick of it for several big time prospects.

Michigan made the top-four for five-star wing Caleb Houstan today. Also included in the list is Duke, Alabama, and Virginia.

Houstan is a very intriguing recruit in the 2021 class. I wrote last week that he may be my favorite player in the entire class. At 6’8, he has the size of a big wing, but the strongest part of his game continues to be his shooting. There may not be a better shooter in the country in his class.

Earlier this summer, Houstan reclassified from the 2022 class to the 2021 class and clearly his recruitment has sped up.

It is still unknown exactly when he will make his college decision but he could be close after releasing his top-four.

Scouting Report

Jerry Meyer of 247Sports evaluated Houstan’s game late last month also raved about his shooting.

"Has good size as a combo forward with shooting range. Not overly athletic, but plays with strength and has body control. Dangerous three-point shooter. Finishes well inside the arc. Is composed with the basketball. Solid handler and passer. Strong rebounder. Comes up with points off the glass. Positional defender with versatility defensively."

Houstan has the body and the game to potentially be a one and done player. However, I personally see him as a two year guy. I see him as someone who comes in as a freshman and is more of a 3-point specialist. As he develops his game and becomes more versatile, he would likely take off and flourish as a sophomore.

One of the things that makes him so dangerous as a shooter is his size. At 6’8 with a high release, he seemingly gets his shot off whenever he wants with almost no chance of it getting blocked.

Michigan’s Chances

This is a hard one to predict at this point. Obviously Michigan basketball is in a good spot with Houstan considering it made the top-four list. But the fit seems to make sense as well. Michigan has a spot for him in the class and could really use a scoring wing after recently missing out on Harrison Ingram.

Duke’s class is already stacked and they lead for five-stars Trevor Keels and Patrick Baldwin Jr. Alabama is a serious threat here and recent five-star commit J.D. Davison is recruiting Houstan hard. But Michigan probably provides tougher competition and a better chance at a national title.

Virginia runs an offense from the 1950s and averaged 57 points per game last season. Maybe this is just me convincing myself that Michigan is the best fit, but the Wolverines should have a great shot here.

Juwan Howard continues to put Michigan in great shape to land elite talent. We have to remember that he’s only been Michigan’s coach for about 18 months now and he only has one season under his belt.

It takes time to build relationships and to showcase your system. It is a great sign that the Wolverines are being highly considered by so many top recruits despite having a brand new coach and a brand new system.

Howard will bring elite talent to Michigan. It’s only a matter of time before he lands his first five-star. And it could happen as soon as this class with guys like Efton Reid and Caleb Houstan still on the board and strongly considering the Wolverines.