Caleb Houstan has been around high-level basketball his entire life.
In high school, his Montverde Academy team featured future first-round NBA Draft picks Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, Moses Moody and Day’Ron Sharpe. This past summer, he averaged 17 points and 5.7 rebounds for Team Canada at the FIBA U19 World Cup. Houstan developed a reputation as a lethal 3-point shooter along the way, and some analysts already have him penciled in as a top-five pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
And now, despite reclassifying up a year, Houstan is ready to step into a starting role as a freshman for the Michigan men’s basketball team. On a team that’s projected to trot out three seniors and a returning All-American for Wednesday’s season tip-off, Houstan is by far the Wolverines’ least experienced starter.
But that doesn’t mean expectations are any lower for him.
“I’ve seen the complete package in his game,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard said during a teleconference Thursday. “He can make passes and make plays for others. He’s also a guy that’s doing a really good job of reading when there’s a ball screen coming, being patient, setting his man up, and coming off the ball screen. Or if he’s in a situation where he’s making a screen for someone else, to get another player open.
“And his overall IQ, for a guy his age. … I’ve been impressed with his level of maturity as well as his basketball IQ. He’s just a complete player with a certain type of demeanor and disposition about himself that seems like he’s been around for years.”
A former five-star recruit, Houstan arrived in Ann Arbor with the necessary skills to make an immediate impact. But according to sophomore center Hunter Dickinson, it took Houstan some time to adjust in other ways.
“Caleb is a little shy off the court if you don’t know him,” Dickinson said. “He’s a little reserved, but once he opens up to you and starts talking, I think he’s really funny. He’s got that Canadian accent to him. ... The way he laughs is really funny to me. If I say something funny and he starts laughing, I laugh even harder because of it. He’s really fun to hang out with. He’s really reserved and I think he’s really just about his business on the court.”
Houstan has always boasted a rare combination of size, length and shooting stroke, even to the point where his teammates began referring to him as Klay Thompson. But after working with Michigan strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson, Houstan has added the strength to match those skills. The Wolverines’ roster lists him at 6-foot-8, 205 pounds.
That should make a difference at both ends in a conference as physical as the Big Ten, though the results may be more apparent on defense.
“Caleb has grown a lot since he’s been here,” Dickinson said. “Coach Howard is definitely preaching to him on being a two-way player, and I think he’s really taking full advantage of that. He’s taken big strides and he’s only going to get better as the season progresses with that.”
With the season less than a week away, Houstan’s teammates are starting to notice those results.
“He can rebound and push it himself with the ability of not only making shots, but finishing at the rim as well,” graduate transfer guard DeVante’ Jones said. “He’s definitely a complete player. Real dynamic. He can also defend. A lot of guys come in and just want to score the ball, but he definitely takes pride on both ends.
“I love his work ethic. He’s always in the gym putting up extra shots, just trying to get better. Caleb’s future definitely is bright.”
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