Where Michigan wing Caleb Houstan stands in latest ESPN 2022 NBA mock draft
Michigan Wolverines basketball has a handful of NBA Draft hopefuls this summer, and two one-and-done players have the best chance of being picked — wing Caleb Houstan and forward Moussa Diabate. Both stayed in the draft pool at the June 1 underclassman withdrawal deadline and are taking their shot at the league, and while Diabate initially appeared to have a better chance of being picked, it’s Houstan who’s seemingly higher on the board now.
Diabate still has a chance of being a middle-to-late second-round selection. Even if he’s not picked, the G League route is still there, and he can continue to develop at that level. Guards Eli Brooks and DeVante’ Jones are also in the draft pool. The former stood out at the NBA G League Elite Camp, while the latter did not receive an invite.
Houstan, on the other hand, continues to rise on draft projections. He didn’t appear on top-100 lists or mock drafts, even ones that included both rounds, before the NBA Combine, but buzz began to pick up around the time of the event.
As TheWolverine.com was first to report, Houstan received an NBA Combine invite. Surprisingly, though, he declined the offer. The Michigan wing has been quiet, not doing any interviews, and the move led to speculation that he has a ‘promise’ that an NBA team will draft him.
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He began to appear near the bottom of the first round and early in the second round in various mock drafts at the end of May. While there haven’t been many updated projections over the last week and a half, ESPN.com’s Jonathan Givony did publish a brand-new mock that has Houstan early in the second round.
In more of an uncommon exercise, Givony listed a player that is the ‘best fit’ and another prospect that is the ‘best available’ for each pick.
Houstan checked in as the ‘best available’ player for the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 36 overall (early second round), and the ‘best fit’ for the Sacramento Kings at the next selection, No. 37. He was the only Michigan player to make an appearance.
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The Trail Blazers also pick at No. 7 and No. 57. The Kings hold the fourth, 37th and 49th choices. Givony had Houstan going No. 30 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in his mid-May projection. If Houstan is picked in the first round of the NBA Draft, which will be held June 23, he will become Michigan’s ninth first-rounder since 2013.
Like many freshmen, Houstan had an up-and-down first collegiate season. In a past article, Givony even called it “disappointing.” The Canadian sharpshooter averaged 10.1 points, four rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He led Michigan with 60 made three-pointers, shooting 35.5 percent from long range, but struggled inside the arc, with a 42.6 two-point shooting percentage (worst among Michigan starters). He connected on 47.7 percent of his three-point attempts at Crisler Center, just 29 percent on the road and 26.2 percent on neutral floors.
Houstan was a key piece on Michigan’s team, starting all 34 contests at the small forward spot. The Wolverines posted a 10-1 record when he scored 13 or more points, and he poured in 10-plus points on 17 occasions. His inconsistency, perhaps, contributed to the Maize and Blue’s rocky season that included a 19-15 record but ended on a high note with a trip to a fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
The 2022 NBA draft will be held June 23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (8 p.m. ET on ESPN).
Caleb Houstan working out for Toronto Raptors Friday
A Mississauga, Ont., native, Houstan is set to work out with his hometown team, the Toronto Raptors, Friday, according to team beat reporter Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports.
