Michigan basketball: The Franz Wagner phenomenon

Michigan basketball received a massive boost for the 2019-20 season when Franz Wagner joined the team. Can the younger Wagner live up to the hype?

Several prominent college hoops analysts have come out to shell out high praise on the Michigan basketball commit, Franz Wagner, including former Wolverine Tim McCormick.

“One of the interesting phenomena at the Top 100 Camp is that when we integrate the international players, they really struggle,” said McCormick. “…But I thought Franz was really comfortable. And maybe the fact that he had spent so much time watching his brother play (helped him). He knew the Big 10, he knew American tendencies, and he fit in very well.”

The NBA Players Association’s Director of International Relations and Marketing agreed with Tim.

“(Wagner) had to figure out how to adjust to the physical level,” said Matteo Zuretti. “I thought he figured out perfectly how to leverage his strengths… so basically shooting.  He stretches the floor. He’s a great shooter. Once he proved to everybody to be a threat behind the arc, then that’s when he started to put the ball on the floor or make passes.”

German sensation

To hear from those who watched Franz in action overseas, we turn to Der Tagesspiegel. The German news outlet called Franz “the greatest talent of German basketball.” In Germany, Wagner played for Alba Berlin and their revered head coach Aito Garcia Reneses. Franz was expected to take a starring role for the team, even though Wagner was always the youngest man on the court.

High IQ

CBS sports got in on the Fraz action when Jon Rothstein visited Ann Arbor. Jon noted the “Staff raves about his (Wagner’s) IQ and overall feel.”

Jon’s comments came soon after several campus visits, which included stops in Ann Arbor, East Lansing, and several other local colleges.

He’s going to be a pro

Juwan echoed Rothstein’s comments, highlighting Wagner’s IQ and scoring ability.

"He has a high IQ, he’s tough, skilled, can put the ball on the floor, create his own shot, and he’s not afraid to dunk on you,  And what I should have mentioned first: He’s an underrated defender. We all talk about his skill level offensively. The guy can defend, and he wants to defend. He’s going to be a pro. I’m putting a lot of pressure on him, I’m sorry. But how I foresee it, I think he’s going to be a good pro.”"

Franz is thought of as an immediate starter for Michigan, alongside Zavier Simpson, Jon Teske, Isaiah Livers, and possibly Eli Brooks. But…

Can Franz live up to the hype?

All signs point to yes.

McCormick opined Franz is a better shooter than former Michigan star Ignas Brazdeikis and Howard said at Big Ten Media Days that Franz “might have 20 one night.” On top of that, 247 sports ranked Franz higher than his older brother Moritz, the first-round pick in 2018.

Franz is a defender, an outside threat, and a 6-foot-8-inch dunker. He’s everything Michigan needs with the departure of three of their starters. Franz wants to follow in his brother’s footsteps at UM, but he also wants a future in the NBA.

Until the pro’s come calling, Franz is the future of Wolverine hoops, and this season he will prove it.