Michigan Basketball: Franz Wagner is all-rookie, Jordan Poole stays hot
Wednesday was a great day for former Michigan basketball players as Franz Wagner earned all-rookie honors and Jordan Poole’s team won in the playoffs.
It’s funny to look back on the Michigan basketball fans and other critics that tried to say it was a mistake for Franz Wagner to leave U-M for the 2021 NBA draft.
The Magic proved he made the correct decision when they used a lottery pick on him and Franz paid back that belief in a big way with a stellar 2021-22 campaign that earned him a selection on the NBA’s all-rookie team Wednesday as a first-teamer.
.@umichbball's Franz Wagner was named to NBA All-Rookie 1st team, U-M's first to earn the distinction since Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke in 2014.
— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) May 19, 2022
Among rookies, Wagner ranked 1st in points scored, 5th in rebounds and steals and 6th in assists.
More: https://t.co/oUje3F4fBo pic.twitter.com/FC3RcP2Fl1
It was the first time since 2014 when Michigan basketball had a pair of NBA all-rookies that a Wolverine has made the list and Wagner was a no-doubter after averaging 15.3 points per game last season, shooting 46 percent overall and 35 percent from 3-point range.
Franz also led all rookies in scoring, was ranked fifth in rebounds, and sixth in steals and frankly, he had a strong case for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award.
Not only is Franz a stellar offensive player, but he’s also an elite defender and while the Magic thought they were getting a really solid starter, they might have drafted a two-way superstar.
If this season was any indication anyway.
Jordan Poole has a strong start to West Finals
We know that a former Michigan basketball player is going to win an NBA championship this season, we just don’t know which one.
Jordan Poole and his Golden State Warrior team are looking very tough though and in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Poole had another solid performance.
The former Wolverine played just 26 minutes, in part due to foul trouble (he picked up five) but still managed to score 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting in a blowout win.
Poole’s point total was second on the team behind only Steph Curry who scored 21 points. Another former U-M star Trey Burke, who was one of those All-NBA rookies back in 2014, finished with seven points and two assists in five minutes.
Next. Top 10 Michigan point guards of all time. dark
Game 2 will be Friday night. The Celtics (Nik Stauskas) and Heat (Duncan Robinson) will meet in Game 2 of the Eastern Finals tonight.