The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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12 THE WOLVERINE JUNE/JULY 2021 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Jones Could Be Mike Smith 2.0 By Chris Balas Though DeVante' Jones is only 6-1, 200 pounds, he is still bigger than Mike Smith, the Columbia grad transfer that made such a big impact of this year's squad. In ad- dition, he comes to Michigan as an elite defensive player and a better finisher (though Smith was better than advertised in that area). U-M coaches gave thought to playing Smith off the ball at times last year, but he was smaller and often the calming influence the Wolverines needed at the point. Though he had a few mo- ments in which the competition might have been just a bit much for him, including a round of 32 NCAA Tournament win over LSU, he was outstand- ing much of the year and a big part of Michigan's championship success. Jones can be the same, but he can also play shooting guard. Though he shot only 36.8 percent from long range, he's going to get much better looks in the Wolverines' of- fense with center Hunter Dickinson and guard Eli Brooks (among others) on the floor. He is a ball hawk on the defen- sive end, whereas Smith had to be coaxed to really buy in, and he's got great strength. This was a huge addition for Juwan Howard and Co. Expectations Should Be Tempered By Austin Fox It's nearly impossible to know what to expect from players who transfer from mid-major leagues to power conferences, with the majority who do so seldom making a sig- nificant impact at their new school. Fifth-year senior guard Mike Smith was a rare exception to the rule in 2020-21. The step up in competition was not too much for him to handle, with the Burr Ridge, Ill., native finishing the year as the Big Ten's assists leader (5.3 per game). The way Smith transitioned seamlessly from a mid-major league to the Big Ten was incredibly rare, so it's important not to fall victim to recency bias and subsequently expect Jones to do the same. Long-time college basketball insider Jeff Good- man of Stadium summed up the data on this topic perfectly in April 2020. He reported that 50 mid-major play- ers transferred to power conference programs following the 2018-19 campaign, and only two of those 50 averaged more than 12.0 points per game at their new school the following season. Jones may prove to be a quality contributor at times next year for the Wolverines, but it's not fair to expect him to make an impact for the club the same way Smith did. POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT WILL TRANSFER GUARD DEVANTE' JONES MAKE THE SAME KIND OF IMPACT MIKE SMITH DID AT U-M? Incoming Freshman Caleb Houstan Listed As A Lottery Pick In 2022 NBA Mock Draft ESPN NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony recently released his early 2022 mock draft, projecting who will be picked where, two drafts from now. Michigan signee Caleb Houstan, a five-star small forward out of Montverde (Fla.) Academy, was listed coming off the board at No. 9 overall to the Sacramento Kings. At 6-8, 200 pounds, Houstan, who is set to join the Wolver- ines this summer, is ranked as the No. 8 overall player and No. 2 small forward in the 2021 recruiting class, according to Rivals.com. While Houstan, a sharpshooter who helped lead Montverde (Fla.) Academy to a Geico national championship this past season, is currently seen as a top-10 pick, there is obviously still a long ways to go between now and next summer's 2022 draft, especially considering he hasn't yet suited up for the Maize and Blue yet in a collegiate game. Even after he does for a season, he will have a decision to make in terms of whether or not to enter the draft at all. In Givony's mock, the top 10 picks are players who have never played a college game, with all of them being either a 2021 recruit or international player. Even while projecting Houstan as a first-rounder, Givony explained that it won't nec- essarily be all freshmen who go early on. Inevitably, several returning college players will emerge and improve their stock, just like Michigan sophomore wing Franz Wagner, now a pro- jected first-rounder, did this past season. That would mean a player like Houstan could potentially slide a bit. — Clayton Sayfie JONES Houstan — a Michigan signee — hasn't even played in a college game yet, but that didn't stop ESPN from listing him as a top-10 pick in its 2022 mock draft. PHOTO COURTESY CALEB HOUSTAN