NCAA Basketball: 10 key storylines from 2020 National Signing Day
By Ian Mumm
Juwan Howard and Michigan lock in a pair of 5-stars
The 2021 recruiting cycle has been much kinder to Michigan head coach Juwan Howard than it was in 2020. Holding the commitment of 5-star forward Isaiah Todd and viewed by many to be in the lead for the services of 5-star guard Josh Christopher, Howard lost out on both prospects to the G-League and Arizona State respectively.
Despite losing those battles, the Wolverines signed a top-15 class without the presence of a 5-star, program-changing player being added to the mix.
This year, however, Howard made last-minute moves of his own to gain the commitment of 5-star Canadian wing Caleb Houstan who was being heavily tied to Alabama. Additionally, the Wolverines pulled off a surprise commitment from 5-star forward Moussa Diabate who had strong Kentucky ties early on in the recruiting process.
Both players signed the dotted line Wednesday, giving Howard his first 5-star recruits as a coach and drastically lifting the projected floor for this team next season. With the signatures of Houstan and Diabate, combined with the Wolverines’ strong stable of current commitments including flashy guards Kobe Bufkin and Frankie Collins, Michigan is back in business.