Michigan Basketball: Team awards for Wolverines after 10 games

Defensive MVP: Franz Wagner

Before I talk about Franz Wagner, I just want to give credit to this Michigan basketball team for really turning things around on the defensive end of the floor. The defense was a major struggle early on and left fans struggling to make sense of what was going on.

Individually, the Wolverines have several guys who are elite defensive players. Eli Brooks, Franz Wagner, Chaundee Brown, and Hunter Dickinson are all plus defenders. So early on, the bad defensive play was puzzling.

So give credit where credit is due. This team is playing hard and connected on that end of the floor and turned their defense from a weakness into a strength.

You could make a strong case for Brown, Brooks, or Wagner to win this award. Chaundee has dominated on defense and has embraced that role coming off the bench. Brooks just got the better of Marcus Carr last game and proved how strong he is on defense. And lastly, Franz Wagner’s ability to guard all five positions and use his length is the reason why he comes out on top for me.

Wagner is the anchor on defense for this Michigan basketball team. His versatility allows Michigan to switch everything, play zone, and get creative with their in game defensive adjustments. He leads Michigan in steals per game, is second in blocks, and leads the team in defensive rating.

Wagner’s dominant play on defense has recently been combined with efficient offense, which is making him one of, if not the best two-way players in the Big Ten.