Michigan Basketball: Reacting to where Houstan and Diabate landed in NBA draft

Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate were both selected in the second round of the 2022 NBA draft following an underwhelming one year with Michigan Basketball. 

Turns out that there was no first-round promise for Caleb Houstan on Thursday night. Perhaps had he not made the boneheaded decision to decline a combine invite he would have been a first-rounder.

Ultimately the former Michigan basketball player snuck into the second round with the second pick by the Orlando Magic. He joins rising star Franz Wagner, his brother Mo and Iggy Brazdeikis as former Wolverines who are now suiting up for Michigan south.

He’ll also join the number one overall pick in the draft, Paolo Banchero on a struggling franchise that will look to turn it around with the organization having to rely heavily on Banchero to get them back on track. If the Magic use Houstan as a pure shooter, then he’ll have a chance to carve out a role as a bench player in their rotation.

Orlando will obviously try to get the most out of Houstan and develop his upside that he didn’t fully reach with Michigan basketball.

The Magic have a young group that could surprise some folks. According to multiple sites the Magic have money to spend in free agency, which will make them a place to watch out for when things get revved up in July. Their depth chart is deep for Houstan, so he’ll have to work harder than anyone to prove he rightfully belongs.

Michigan Basketball’s Moussa Diabate goes to the Clippers

Moussa Diabate was taken in the middle of the second by the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s in a more favorable spot because the Clippers are in a better situation than the Magic are right now. Diabate won’t get much time either right away, but if he can continue to improve his inside game and make a name for himself on the defensive side of the ball, then he can realistically blossom.

Teaming up with a healthy Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, along with the rest of the squad puts Diabate in a prime spot to succeed. L.A. doesn’t really have a big man who stands out which makes things even more opportune for Diabate to grow his limitless talent. The Western conference is loaded, but the Clippers will remain in the spotlight as long as Leonard is available to play.

It’s going to be very interesting to keep an eye on these two who will be remembered as two of the best recruits ever under Juwan Howard. They have an unenviable amount of work to do to prove the doubters wrong who said they left too early, including me. There are no more excuses as it’s do-or-die time for both for as long as they can last.