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‘BTPowerhouse 25’ - No. 12 Caleb Houstan

BTPowerhouse's staff counts down the best players in the Big Ten heading into the 2021-’22 season.

By Thomas Beindit
Syndication: Detroit Free Press Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK

In the months leading up to the 2021-’22 college basketball season, BTPowerhouse will be releasing a series called the ‘BTPowerhouse 25,’ which features the Top 25 players in the Big Ten as voted by members of the staff. All players set to be on Big Ten rosters for next season were eligible during the staff vote with their top selection receiving 25 points and their 25th and final selection receiving 1 point.

Today's edition will take a brief look at Caleb Houstan of the Michigan Wolverines, who came in tied at No. 11 in the rankings. The Wolverines are hoping to build off last year’s Big Ten title with another NCAA Tournament run this year.

'BTPowerhouse 25' - No. 12 Caleb Houstan:

  • Eligibility: Freshman
  • Career Totals: N/A
  • 2020-’21 Averages: N/A
  • Positional Role: Power Forward

Entering Juwan Howard’s third season, Michigan is now a Howard-eseque team and Houstan is a perfect example of it. The roster is loaded with elite talent and athletic pieces that can play mulitiple positions. The biggest influx of talent comes from the 2021 recruiting class, where Houstan consists of one of four top 50 prospects.

-Player Strengths

The biggest strength of Houstan’s game is his shooting. He’s a great catch and shoot player who should be able to contribute from the outside. Expect Houstan to be a consistent and big threat from deep and outside the paint.

Additionally, Houstan has the athletic ability to run the floor and should be a quality rebounder. He’s not going to be a physical force down low, but should be able to be enough of a rebounding presence to keep opponents honest.

-Areas for Improvement

Obviously, as a freshman, there will be plenty of areas for Houstan to grow as a player. That might sound generic, but it’s the truth. His game will grow exponentially in the months ahead. Expect him to focus much of his time on the defensive end of the floor. If he can show he can defend at the college level, he could be a special player. He will also have to show he’s capable of playing off the ball, as he won’t be the primary ball handler for the Wolverines this season.

-Player Projection

With so many pieces in Michigan’s wing and frontcourt groups, Houstan will have to work hard to find playing time. However, he looks likely to earn a starting role to play alongside guys like Eli Brooks and Brandon Johns.

Houstan is arguably the biggest x-factor for the Wolverines this season. If he’s ready to play and contribute early, Michigan could be in store for a special year. However, if he can’t hit the ground running and is sloppy, Michigan’s going to have some challenges on the wing. If things go right, he should have a shot at earning All-Big Ten Freshmen team honors.

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'BTPowerhouse 25' Rankings:

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