Michigan head coach Juwan Howard might say publicly that he doesn’t pay attention to recruiting rankings but he is certainly smiling from ear-to-ear in Ann Arbor at the moment as his program has received LOIs from the two gems of his 2021 recruiting class on National Signing Day.
The Michigan Insider has confirmed that the Wolverines have received LOIs from both five-star prospects Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate, both players who have committed to Howard and the Wolverines in recent days. Both players are the first and third highest-rated recruits in the modern recruiting rankings era to sign with the Wolverines’ program according to 247Sports recruit rankings.
Both Houstan and Diabate were highly-coveted recruits that both show NBA potential. For Houstan, the No. 8 ranked power forward in the 2021 class is projected to be a first-round talent with a game similar to Marcus Morris, according to 247Sports’ Director of Basketball Scouting Jerry Meyer.
“Has good size as a combo forward with shooting range,” Meyer wrote in his evaluation. “Not overly athletic, but plays with strength and has body control. Dangerous three-point shooter. Finishes well inside the arc. Is composed with the basketball. Solid handler and passer. Strong rebounder. Comes up with points off the glass. Positional defender with versatility defensively.”
For Diabate, the No. 20 overall recruit is projected to be a first-round NBA talent with a game similar to Gani Lawl from Georgia Tech, according to Meyer.
“Long arms at 6-9,” Meyer wrote. “Energetic athlete who plays with aggression and a competitive edge. Thrives on contact and has an unorthodox style that is physically intimidating. High level rebounder who goes out of his area to pursue the ball. Very limited shooting range. Not uncomfortable with the ball but not a playmaker. A versatile and adept defender. Quality shot blocker. Has great potential as a high energy defender, rebounder type.”
The Wolverines’ 2021 recruiting class currently sits as the No. 1 ranked class in the country. While Howard said this week that he doesn’t pay close attention to rankings, he is looking for players that fit his culture in Ann Arbor.
“I don’t get into the ratings of number one classes and stuff like that,” Howard told reporters. “I let whoever does that decide. I just go after guys I feel that fit our culture. It’s great to see those who have chosen Michigan to embrace the vision we have moving forward. Yes, because of the pandemic, every coach on the collegiate level has pivoted in a way where you have to figure it out. Our staff, we didn’t make any excuses. We had to figure it out as well and see what was the best way to go out there and recruit.
“I’m just so proud to have a great staff that embraces working hard, not making excuses for ourselves and doing whatever we can, despite what we’re dealing with as a country, and finding what the best way is to take advantage of this opportunity. I’ve always lived by this slogan, ‘Embrace the suck.’ Why sit back and be upset with the fact that we can’t have recruits on campus and show them the Michigan experience? Well, let’s take the Michigan experience to them.”
