Michigan Basketball: Moe Wagner messed up hiring an agent

Moe Wagner has been a great player for Michigan basketball but he should have returned for one more year. At the very least, he shouldn’t have hired an agent.

Saturday brought about some tough news for Michigan basketball fans. News that every single one of us saw coming. Moe Wagner declared for the NBA draft. He also hired an agent, meaning he can’t come back.

Wagner followed in the footsteps of other Michigan basketball heroes going to the NBA. Chris Webber went pro after leading the Wolverines to back-to-back title game defeats in 1992 and 1993. Trey Burke, the national player of the year in 2013, also went to NBA after UM dropped the title game to Louisville.

Wagner announced his decision Saturday, publishing a 2,700-word post on the Players Tribune. He also declared for the NBA draft in 2017, but returned after not hiring an agent.

While Wagner’s decision wasn’t a surprise, especially after he tested the waters last year, what was surprising was the fact that he hired an agent. That means he can’t change his mind or return to Michigan if he doesn’t like his draft stock.

That is a mistake. I am not saying Wagner messed up going pro or declaring for the draft. If he can get himself selectin in the first round of the NBA draft than he should go. Right now, however, that seems far from guaranteed.

Mock drafts aren’t everything. In fact, they are somewhat meaningless. But if you look at a few, you don’t seem Wagner’s name coming up in the first round of many of them. The Land of 10 mock draft has him going in the first round. Yet, the Bleacher Report, SB Nation and Sports Illustrated don’t. SI has him as its 62nd player on the big board. 

Obviously, the combine, interviews and the pre-draft process will change a lot of things. Wagner will have a good chance to move up and could turn himself into a first-round pick. The junior averaged 20 points a game during the Final Four and turned heads during the NCAA tournament.

Michigan Wolverines Basketball

But Wagner is not without warts. At times, he disappears like the two 12-point outings he has against Houston and Florida State. He made big plays in both of those games but didn’t play like a star player should.

Wagner also scored just five points in the opening round of the NCAA’s against Montana. The 6-11 forward also scored five points or less two other times and had six games total scoring in single digits.

Overall, those numbers are good and show consistency but he’s still far from perfect. He will need to do a better job of avoiding fouls, defending and rebounding. The junior averaged14.6 points per game, grabbed 7.1 rebounds and blocked just 0.5 shots. On the other hand, he made 52.8 percent from the field and shot 39 percent from 3-point range.

Wagner can be a solid stretch four at the next level. Honestly, if he doesn’t get picked in the first round of the draft, NBA teams will regret it.

Yet, I also think he should have tested the waters again before hiring an agent. If he suffers an injury or if his stock isn’t as high as he hopes, then he could have played another season for Michigan basketball with the aim of improving his stock.

The Wolverines would also have been among the favorites to win the Big Ten and maybe even get back to the Final Four. Obviously, saying that Wagner screwed up sounds a little like sour grapes. But unless a guy is guaranteed first rounder, hiring an agent is not the smart thing to do.

As long as Wagner gets picked, it will be a good thing. Worst case, he could play in the G-League like Derrick Walton Jr., did this season. And simply put, he has too much talent and upside to be ignored and there is no doubt his NBA opportunity will come.

But at the same time, his stock could have been improved with another season, he could have got his degree and possibly added to his Michigan legend. All that aside, his only real mistake, was hiring an agent.