NCAA Basketball: Predicting best player from top 2021 recruiting classes

1. Michigan Wolverines

Recruiting Class: Caleb Houston, Moussa Diabate, Kobe Bufkin, Frankie Collins, Isaiah Barnes, and Will Tschetter

There were certainly preseason questions for the Wolverines after being forced to transition from the steady hands of point guard Zavier Simpson and center Jon Teske. However, head coach Juwan Howard proved yet again his ability to assess his roster and position his personnel for success is undeniable. Howard signed a pair of experienced transfers to help bolster the Wolverines at the top end of the rotation leading to a near Final Four berth.

While uncertainty again presents itself this offseason, due to high turnover at the top of the rotation, the Wolverines are still positioned very well to do damage in the Big Ten and nationally. That confidence is a result of Howard’s continued success on the recruiting trail and ability to compete for recruits at the highest levels of Division 1 basketball.

The collective class of Caleb Houstan, Moussa Diabate, Kobe Bufkin, Frankie Collins, Isaiah Barnes, and Will Tschetter is good enough for tops in the country this year and brings a lot of versatility for Howard to utilize in the coming seasons.

The varying skillsets arriving in Ann Arbor create an argument for nearly every member of this year’s class. The Wolverines went through significant turnover specifically in the backcourt and on the wings providing ample opportunity for Collins, Bufkin, Houstan, and Barnes to step into prominent roles next season. The same can be said of Diabate as a productive frontcourt powerhouse with his capabilities to create his own shot off the dribble.

However, the likeliest outcome is seeing former Montverde Academy wing Caleb Houstan emerging as the best freshman next season. Houstan carries significant experience with one of the best high school prep programs in history, as well as multiple stints on the FIBA stage, prior to arriving on campus. The 6’8” wing has the potential to make an immediate impact in the rebounding department in addition to his propensity to torch the nets.

In a year when the Wolverines will need to find immediate complimentary scoring for super sophomore Hunter Dickinson, the arrival of Houstan to step into those shoes from the get-go couldn’t have lined up any better for Howard and Co.

Prediction: Caleb Houstan