Michigan basketball's Caleb Houstan reportedly joins Moussa Diabate in declaring for NBA draft

They joined Michigan basketball together and now they’ll explore the NBA pre-draft process together.

The last domino in U-M’s game of will-they-or-won’t-they finally fell when ESPN reported small forward Caleb Houstan declared for the draft prior to Sunday’s deadline and will test the waters alongside fellow freshman Moussa Diabate. Both players will maintain their collegiate eligibility ahead of the June 1 withdrawal deadline.

As the highest-rated player in coach Juwan Howard’s celebrated 2021 recruiting class, Houstan arrived at Michigan with lofty expectations and murmurs about the potential for a one-and-done college career. He was the No. 11 overall player in the 247Sports Composite rankings and ensnared the attention of NBA scouts and executives when he helped lead Team Canada to the bronze medal at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup — a tournament in which he averaged 17 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 steals in seven games.

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Houstan became an immediate starter in Ann Arbor and joined shooting guard Eli Brooks as the only players to start all 34 games this season. He finished fourth on the team in scoring at 10.1 points per game while chipping in four rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He shot 38.4% from the field and 35.5% from beyond the arc.

But if Houstan remains in the draft, his time at Michigan will be remembered for its inconsistency. He endured two lengthy shooting slumps over the course of the season yet also propelled the Wolverines to victory on more than one occasion. Seventeen games with double-figure scoring were dulled by 13 games with six or fewer points. His postseason average of 6.8 points on 10-for-31 shooting (7-for-24 from 3-point range) left the impression that Houstan shrank in the biggest moments.

Houstan had fallen out of most mock drafts by the end of Michigan's run to the Sweet 16. He enters the pre-draft process as a borderline second-round pick.

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But context is important for Houstan, who reclassified and skipped his senior year of high school to play 32 minutes per game at Michigan, where opponents were four and five years older than him with the physical development to match. That Houstan doesn’t turn 20 until January is undoubtedly part of his NBA appeal. He already possesses great size (6 foot 8 and 205 pounds), a beautiful shooting stroke and what coaches described as excellent dedication to the game.

Now he'll spend the next few weeks showcasing those traits to scouts and general managers around the league. Just like his classmate, Diabate.

Contact Michael Cohen at mcohen@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_Cohen13.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball: Caleb Houstan declares for 2022 NBA draft