Michigan Basketball: Draft review and catching up with Wolverines in NBA
The 2018 NBA draft
The famous Mel Gibson Mad Max phrase two men enters one man leaves perfectly sums up the 2018 NBA draft. Moritz Wagner and Duncan Robinson entered, Mortiz left drafted with Duncan held in the same peculiar situation as Charles Matthews.
Moritz Wagner
Mo had two high-scoring seasons for Michigan before he entered the NBA draft, leaving a year of eligibility on the table. He clearly made the right decision since he was one of the lucky draftees taken in the first round. With the 25th pick, Mo was drafted by the Lakers where was able to play with the great LeBron James in downtown Los Angelas.
Although they struggled and didn’t make the playoffs, the Lakers ownership shifted and the trade they were unable to make at the deadline was completed a few days before the draft. Anthony Davis will be moving from New Orleans to Los Angelas where he and his unibrow could be the benefactor of a few Mo passes when the 2019-20 season rolls around.
Or Wagner could get traded to free up some cap space for the massive contracts and luxury tax the Lakers will be subject to going forward.
Either way, Mo is a coveted big man with the ability to hit the three.
Duncan Robinson
Duncan is a college basketball Cinderella story. Starting out at a small D III Massachusetts college, Mo transferred after his freshman year to play in the house that Cazzie built.
His time at Michigan will forever be remembered as the guy in the corner who drained threes. He was a catch and shoot type player who could drive at times.
After going undrafted, Duncan joined the Miami Heat where he was coached in the NBA’s summer league by none other than Juwan Howard. Duncan was one of the first to praise the hiring of Howard.
“Early on in Summer League last year he immediately reached out to me just because we had the Michigan connection,” Robinson told The Detroit News. “That’s one of the things that really jumped out to me is his genuine love for Michigan. A lot of players, particularly with a career after Michigan like he had, would maybe distant themselves from the program, but he takes a ton of pride in it.
“He helped me a ton and I’m really thankful having had that experience. I know the Michigan basketball program is certainly lucky to have him.”
Duncan played in 15 games during the 2018-19 season with the Heat during Dwyane Wade’s final season in the NBA.