Michigan Basketball: Best case scenario for closing out the 2021 class

When Juwan Howard took over as the Michigan basketball coach in May of 2019, the Wolverines instantly became a threat to all the blue bloods in the world of  college basketball recruiting.

That hasn’t changed with this 2021 class. Michigan basketball currently has the sixth ranked recruiting class in the country. They already have four commits in the class, two of which are ranked inside the top-100, and two that are ranked just outside.

But Michigan’s 2021 class is far from over. Juwan Howard could take as many as six guys which leaves two spots potentially open. Here’s Michigan’s best case scenario to close out the 2021 recruiting class.

Efton Reid

Efton Reid has been, and will continue to be priority number one for Juwan Howard and the Wolverines. I have been writing for months that Reid is Michigan’s best shot at a five-star in this class and I will stick to that.

It has been reported that Reid is expected to make a list cut soon and that Michigan will be on that list. There was also a report from 247Sports insider Brian Snow($) that indicated Michigan is in a good spot with Reid.

"“Two programs in particular that definitely have some traction are Ohio State and Michigan. The pair of Big Ten rivals are doing a very good job of pursuing Reid and building a strong bond with both him and his mother. If Reid does decide early, that could be good news for either the Buckeyes or Wolverines.”"

Reid is a five-star center ranked 22nd overall in the 2021 class. I cannot stress enough how important it is for Michigan to land a center in this class. After this upcoming season, Michigan loses Austin Davis and will only have one true center on the roster, Hunter Dickinson.

The only thing that could potentially hurt Michigan with Reid is if he’s unsure about playing behind Dickinson. But Juwan Howard has made a strong pitch that Reid and Dickinson can play together in a big lineup with Reid playing power forward.

If it really is a two team race between Michigan and Ohio State, I love Michigan’s chances. Former AAU teammates of Reid, Hunter Dickinson and Terrance Williams are recruiting him hard and I don’t see him going to Ohio State based on his relationship with those two guys.

I think it’s fair to say that Michigan is currently the front runner for Efton Reid.

Caleb Houstan

Michigan basketball made the top-four for Caleb Houstan this week. Joining Michigan on that list is Alabama, Duke, and Virginia.

Houstan is a sharpshooting wing from Florida who ranks as a five-star and as the 8th overall player in the 2021 class. Many recruiting sites list him as a power forward but I think that has to do with him being 6’8.

He’s a natural scoring wing that has emerged as one of, if not the best shooter in the 2021 class. Houstan has a flawless shooting stroke and is continuing to develop as a three level scorer.

Houstan expects to make his decision pretty soon so this isn’t a recruitment that we will have to sweat out for very long. He spoke on his decision timeline with Eric Bossi from 247Sports. When asked if he expects to decide before his senior season starts, he confirmed that was the plan.

"“That’s what I’m trying to go for, it’s not 100% but I’m hoping to. I’m continuing to build relationships that I’ve already established. Now I can dig a little deeper into how the schools can help me and how I can help them. That’s pretty much the two big things.”"

Houstan was also asked to speak on all of his final four contenders. He spoke very highly of Michigan.

"“(Juwan Howard) played 19 years in the NBA himself and that can help me a lot. He’s somebody that has been there before and done it so he knows a lot about the game, especially at the next level and what It takes. There’s a fit for me in terms of style of play. I fit in their halfcourt and transition of how they play and the relationship with coaches is there.”"

I wrote yesterday why I thought Houstan is such a good fit in Michigan’s 2021 class. With the loss of Isaiah Livers and probably Franz Wagner after next season, Houstan would likely be walking into a starting role his freshman year for Michigan basketball.

Michigan needs a scoring wing and shooter in this class and Houstan seems to be the perfect fit. They should have a great chance as they make one final push entering the last month of his recruitment.

Overview

If Michigan basketball does close out their 2021 class by landing Efton Reid and Caleb Houstan, they would finish with a six man class consisting of two five-stars, four top-100 players, and six players ranked in the top-150. An argument could be made that if that happens, that would be Michigan’s best class since the Fab Five.

It would also give them a 247Sports team score of 68.84 which would make them the top ranked recruiting class in the country for 2021.

Michigan has a legitimate shot at both of these guys which would end this recruiting class with a bang.

With Caleb Houstan expected to announce his decision in the next month or so and Efton Reid expected to trim his list soon, We should find out the fate of Michigan’s 2021 class sooner rather than later.