Michigan Basketball: Franz Wagner is everything Juwan Howard needed

Franz Wagner is taking a leap of faith by leaving Germany and committing to Michigan basketball and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Michigan Basketball got exactly what it needed today when Franz Wagner decided to commit and Juwan Howard got exactly what he needed to add a few extra W’s to the 2019-20 season.

The 6-foot-9-inch German forward is the younger brother of former Michigan Basketball player Moritz Wagner and was a star for his German Professional team Alba Berlin. Recently, Franz and his teammates were in the finals of the German Bundesliga, losing to Bayern Munich three game to none in a best-of-five matchup.

Wagner and his teammate and former Michigan basketball star, Derrick Walton Jr., were lighting it up over in Europe before Wagner decided to turn his attention to the NCAA. Mo has been a huge supporter of Franz and always encouraged his younger brother to explore the American college culture while Walton likely provided some (pro-Michigan) guidance to the young man.

After a lot of speculation, Michigan basketball announced the move officially Saturday.

In the weeks prior to the commitment, Franz had applied to the school and had taken his SAT test; however, neither were a definitive indication of his future attendance and while Franz was taking steps to become an American college student, his German professional team was doing all they could to retain him by offering a contract extension.

All of that is in the past as Franz looks to pave his way to the NBA, first by playing for the Wolverines and new head coach Juwan Howard, and boy was he needed.

After former head coach John Beilein left, top 2019 Michigan recruit, Jalen Wilson, asked to be let out of his scholarship and he eventually committed to Kansas. That expanded the hole for Michigan which already lost the services of Charles Matthews, Ignas Brazdeikis, and Jordan Poole.

What Franz Wagner brings

While Franz does not have a 247Sports recruiting ranking, Evan Daniels, 247Sports Director of Recruiting, said in a Tweet that Wagner would be a “top 50 level recruit if he was in the U.S.”

For comparison’s sake, Jalen Wilson was ranked 51st, so he’s a great replacement.

And while 247Sports lists Franz at 6-foot-7, his hometown newspaper has the German star at 6-foot-9 and projected him at the SF position as a wing player with the ability to drive the ball.

Franz shoots 47% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc according to his international stats. That ability to shoot from beyond the arc is precisely what Howard needed to complete his team for the 2019-20 season.

Franz knew that his big brother took the college leap and ended up a first-round draft pick in the NBA. Now, it’s the younger Wagner’s turn to develop his game under a different Michigan basketball coach, a coach that loves big men and knows what is needed to succeed in the NBA.