Michigan Basketball: Derrick Walton praises Franz Wagner, Juwan Howard
Former Michigan basketball star Derrick Walton Jr., who played with Franz Wagner in Germany and was coached by Juwan Howard, heaped praise on both in a recent interview.
If Michigan basketball fans want to hear about the potential abilities of both Franz Wagner and head coach Juwan Howard, there may be no one with better insight than Derrick Walton Jr.
Walton, a former Michigan basketball star that helped lead the Wolverines to the Big Ten tournament championship and the Sweet 16 in 2017, played with Franz Wagner at Alba Berlin last season and had plenty of good things to say about his former teammate.
Wagner, who committed to join the Wolverines over the weekend, is a 6-foot-9 wing that is expected to contribute immediately next season. Here’s what the former Michigan hoops star told 247 sports about Wagner:
"“Franz is really good,” Walton told The Michigan Insider. “(He’s) really good at being able to pick things fast, and that will definitely allow him to be able to make an immediate impact. He shoots it really well. He’s long and is an active defender. (He has) good hands and quick feet. (He’s) really able to guard one through three, (and) possibly the four with this length.”"
Wagner is expected to be a starter right away for Michigan basketball next season, which has to replace its top three scorers from last season in Jordan Poole, Ignas Brazdeikis and Charles Matthews. Additionally, UM desperately needed 3-point shooting and Wagner can provide it.
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While Walton isn’t the first to offer praise of Michigan’s most recent commitment, he also offered some knowledge on the kind of coach Howard will be. Walton told 247 sports that he expects more recruiting victories for Howard like the one he scored Saturday with Franz.
“Juwan (is a) great overall person,” Walton told the outlet. “I think he’s going to be able to attract the biggest names in recruiting not only because of his basketball resume but with how he can relate to each player. (During) my time in Miami he forever was a servant leader.”
Like Duncan Robinson, who also spent time working with Howard while playing for the Miami Heat, Walton said he expected Howard to have success and he even spoke about what kind of system Howard might run at Michigan.
“As far as X’s and O’s, I believe Juwan will try to implement some NBA type sets and style of play as much as possible while still adjusting to what will and won’t work at the college level,” Walton said.
The insight on Howard goes along with what most other players have said. He’s a coach that cares about his players and is willing to invest time to help them develop. Certainly, Franz Wagner believes Howard can help him develop into a first-round draft pick, otherwise, why come?
Next. 3 ways Franz Wagner helps Michigan immediately. dark
That’s going to be a key thing going forward. Howard has to show he can keep sending guys to the NBA and as long as he can do that, with his background and the resources available to him, he should kill it with recruiting, just as Franz will kill it for the Wolverines in the 2019-20 season.