Michigan basketball notes: Much riding on Moussa Diabate, Caleb Houstan decisions … more

Michigan coaches will know soon enough whether sophomore forward Moussa Diabate and/or sophomore wing Caleb Houstan return for their second seasons. Both have until June 1 to declare their intentions, but neither has decided yet — at least publicly. 

RELATED: Phil Martelli on what Michigan forward Will Tschetter needs to do to see the floor

Several from other schools already have — at least 83, according to this list — and there have probably been more since. 

Players who have declared and intend to remain in the NBA Draft: pic.twitter.com/vKVQxzTIMy

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 25, 2022

With only 60 picks over two rounds … well, there’s not much margin for error for the Michigan guys. 

Initially, Houstan was only expected to go if he was guaranteed to go among the top 20 picks. His camp has been silent, however, and there’s speculation he might have a team ready to take him even though he skipped the NBA Draft Combine. 

“Oklahoma City, which has three first-round picks, would be a potential suitor at 30 and is more likely than most to take on bigger swings as it rebuilds,” CBS Sports wrote recently in its updated projection. 

We could see this one going either way. 

Houstan averaged 10.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last season. If he were to return and Diabate were to leave, Houstan would likely see more time at the four (power forward) position. He’d get more opportunities for his shot and could have an Isaiah Livers type role in the offense. 

SI.com’s Jeremy Woo also projects Houstan to the Thunder, albeit with the 34th pick (second round). Woo has Diabate going to the Atlanta Hawks at No. 44.

Others, like USA Today, don’t have either Michigan player going in the two rounds.

This one truly is a guessing game at this point.

Michigan could have significant holes to fill

This team will look markedly different, of course, if both sophomores choose to leave. Michigan coach Juwan Howard and his staff are keeping an eye on the transfer portal — guys like Northwestern transfer and former U-M recruit Pete Nance are still available, for example — but they can’t go all out until they know they have room. 

There hasn’t been much talk, if any, about Nance and Michigan, but U-M has been playing it close to the vest since Princeton’s Jaelin Llewellyn joined the squad. 

Several Wolverines currently on the roster would also get a chance to fill the void at the four. Will Tschetter has work to do, but he can shoot it and has the work ethic to continue to improve. Junior Terrance Williams isn’t a typical ‘four’ or ‘three,’ for that matter, but he’s provided big moments in big games for the Wolverines in the last few years and could be ready for more. 

True freshman Tarris Reed, too, is going to get his opportunity. 

But there’s a darkhorse, as well. 

“Jace Howard has really, really improved,” Michigan assistant Phil Martelli told us a few weeks ago. “And the thing I like with Jace is Jace can be vocal with his teammates. So, he’s not sitting in the locker room and saying, ‘I don’t want anybody to notice me’ or anything like that. He’s good at that.”

And on the floor, he said, he brings a toughness along with the leadership in communication.

“You can just tell,” Martelli said. 

Wolverines need more vocal leaders in 2022

And that’s an area in which Michigan needs more in 2022, Martelli said, regardless of who stays or goes.

“Somebody’s got to speak up. Somebody has to, because this really is a team that could be together if there was no leaving and all that,” he said. “The young guys are quiet. The last class, and now this one. Duggy [McDaniel] is quiet. Jett [Howard] is quiet. Tarris is quiet, and Gregg Glenn.”

Hunter Dickinson is not, of course. The junior center likes to talk, and he’s made a habit of it. 

But they need more at every other position, too. We’ll see who the options are soon enough, but Martelli insisted it’s up to all of them to push them past their comfort zones at times and develop the leaders they’ll need to represent Michigan on the floor this fall. 

“They’re comfortable in there, comfortable being in the gym. Maybe they feel that’s where they really fit as opposed to out and about,” he said. 

But this Michigan team needs a few of them to be more outgoing, and that mission starts this summer.