Will Michigan's Caleb Houstan Be A Lottery Pick In The 2022 NBA Draft?

ESPN.com analyst Jonathan Givony recently released his early 2022 mock draft, projecting who will be picked where, two drafts from now. 2021 Michigan signee Caleb Houstan, a five-star small forward out of Montverde (Fla.) Academy, checked in at No. 9 overall to the Sacramento Kings.

At 6-foot-8, 200 pounds, Houstan, who is set to join the Wolverines this summer, is ranked as the No. 8 overall player and No. 2 small forward in the 2021 recruiting class, according to Rivals.com.

While Houstan, a sharpshooter who helped lead Montverde to a Geico National Championship this past season, is currently seen as a top-10 pick, there is obviously still a long ways to go between now and next summer's 2022 draft, especially considering he hasn't yet suited up for the Maize and Blue in a collegiate game, and even after he does for a season, he will have a decision to make in terms of whether or not to enter the draft at all.

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In Givony's mock draft, each and every one of the top-10 picks are players who have never played a college game, with all of them being either a 2021 recruit or an international player. Even while projecting Houstan as a first-rounder, Givony explained that it won't necessarily be all freshmen who go early on. Inevitably, several returning college players will emerge and improve their stock, just like Michigan sophomore wing Franz Wagner did this past season. That would mean a player like Houstan could potentially slide a bit.

"Only a handful of returning college players, including Purdue's Jaden Ivey, Auburn's Allen Flanigan, Arizona's Bennedict Mathurin, and Memphis' Earl Timberlake are currently projected to be drafted in the top 20 of next year's class, which is not unexpected, historically speaking," Givony wrote.

"In reality, many non-freshman college players will rise up draft boards as the season moves on, as players such as Davion Mitchell, Franz Wagner, Corey Kispert, Kai Jones, James Bouknight, Ayo Dosunmu, Jared Butler, Chris Duarte, Max Abmas and others did this past year."

Givony isn't the only one to view Houstan as a lottery pick in next year's draft. We recently spoke with Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, who also believes Houstan will be a one-and-done college player and be picked in the top half of the first round.

In addition, NBADraftRoom.com also pegged Houstan as going in the lottery, at No. 12 overall, calling him a "smooth, big wing with a great looking three-point shot."

Though 2021 four-star Michigan power forward signee Moussa Diabate, the No. 26 overall player in the class and No. 6 prospect at his position, did not show up on Givony's mock draft, he did draw some praise for the prowess he showed while guarding No. 1 recruit (and projected No. 2 overall draft pick for 2022) Chet Holmgren, a five-star Gonzaga signee (and former U-M target).

"At 7-foot-1, his best position in the modern game will likely be as a center, but his rail-thin 195-pound frame could be an issue going up against older and stronger big men on both ends of the floor," Givony wrote of Holmgren. "There are some questions about how his body might hold up long term.

"In a February matchup with prep school powerhouse IMG Academy, Holmgren showed some of his limitations physically while being held to 13 points on 11 field goal attempts with 5 turnovers in a 20-point loss. He was pushed around mercilessly inside the paint and contained very effectively on his perimeter drives by Michigan-bound Moussa Diabate, a top-10 recruit in his own right. Holmgren struggled to finish around the basket, couldn't get going with his jump shot (0-for-4 3-pt FG) and had a forgettable night overall, even though he still delivered some real fireworks defensively."

Diabate is expected to compete with junior Brandon Johns for the starting power forward job, and he has the ability to also see some minutes backing up freshman Hunter Dickinson at center. His defense might be the strongest aspect of his game at this juncture, though his athleticism running the floor offensively also stands out.

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