Orlando Magic explain why Caleb Houstan was a fit
Former Michigan Wolverine wing Caleb Houstan saw his pro dreams come true on Thursday night. The Orlando Magic selected him with the No. 32 overall pick (second round) to add him to an already-robust pipeline of talent from Ann Arbor.
Houstan is the fourth former Michigan player on the roster, joining Franz and Moe Wagner and Ignas Brazdeikis. Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman explained the franchise’s interest in Houstan and why they selected him.
“We had Caleb in early in the process,” he said, via the Orlando Sentinel. “He can be a very capable shooter. He has a very team-oriented outlook, he guards, he does a lot of little things that don’t show up in the boxscore — he’s ahead of the ball, he’s the first one back defensively, he’ll box out a guy so his teammate can get the ball. He’s just a very smart, sound player who quietly does winning things. That’s kind of his personality, too.”
The Magic led off the NBA Draft with the selection of Duke forward Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick. Orlando feels it got better with the former Blue Devil and Michigan player.
“We went into this draft looking to add skill, size, shooting, IQ, integrity, positional versatility, and with these two young guys I think we checked all those boxes. And we’re really excited about it,” he said.
Magic coach Jahmal Mosely was happy with the selection and seems comfortable with the bevy of Wolverines on the roster. He complimented the program that head coach Juwan Howard has built.
“[Houstan is] going to fit right in. Knowing Juwan and what they do there, as many Michigan guys as we have, that’s what it’s about,” he said. “The hustle plays, the 50/50 balls, the charges.”
What the Michigan product brings to Orlando
Houstan, who was a five-star signee and No. 10 prospect in the 2021 recruiting class, started 34 games at Michigan last season. He averaged 10.1 points, four rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Houstan shot 38.4% from the field with a 35.5% mark from three-point range. He did not appear on many draft boards at the end of the season, but elected to stay in the draft. This fueled speculation that he might have a first-round promise from a team, but he ultimately slipped just outside the top 30 picks.
“The big-time skill Houstan brings is his perimeter shooting,” The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote in his draft guide. “Hit almost 36 percent from 3 in 2021-22, largely off the catch. If his feet are set, the ball is probably going through the hole. Started the season slow but caught fire as he got more comfortable with the college game. Very simple mechanics. Less of a ball dip than most teenagers, which scales well toward getting threes off at volume. Can use a high release point because of his height, which gives him an advantage against closeouts. Made 33 percent from beyond 25 feet, per Synergy.
“I know he wasn’t wildly successful shooting off movement at Michigan, but Houstan’s shooting form does project to be able to do so going forward. Stays balanced coming off screens. Gets off shot quickly. I’d bet his results in the NBA will be better than his college numbers indicate. Plays hard on defense. Closes out hard on shooters. Uses his length well to get into his man’s face. Not an awesome defender at this point, but he’s big and long.”
Houstan was one of two Wolverines selected on draft night. Forward Moussa Diabate was taken with the No. 43 overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers. Guard Eli Brooks went undrafted, but signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Indiana Pacers.
