Franz Wagner | SF/PF | Michigan
Top 100 ranking: 8
Wagner ended his sophomore season -- and likely his college career -- in agonizing fashion, missing two potential go-ahead 3s in the final seconds of Michigan's Elite Eight loss to UCLA while suffering defeat at the hands of Mick Cronin and the red-hot UCLA Bruins.
During a 1-for-10 shooting night, Wagner airballed an uncontested pull-up 3 with 12 seconds left that would have put Michigan up one, then missed a last-second heave with 0.5 left that could have made him a hero in Ann Arbor forever. The 6-foot-9 German forward shot just 2-for-16 from 3 in the NCAA tournament, missing his last eight 3-point attempts. That resurfaced some questions about his ability to score the ball consistently in the half court and his fluctuating confidence from behind the arc. However, Wagner's signature performance against Scottie Barnes in the Sweet 16 and the consistent two-way versatility and toughness he showed over the course of the tournament has earned him legitimate looks in a top 10 that lacks much clarity after 5.
When I first interviewed Wagner when he was a 6-foot-5, 15-year-old guard in January 2017, he said this of his game: "I think I can bring energy to the team and I'm really competitive."
Over four years and four inches later, that's exactly what Wagner brought to Michigan this season. He went for 15 points and 7 rebounds in a win over LSU and Cameron Thomas, defending multiple positions, making heady reads and attacking the rim with physicality. He outdueled fellow lottery pick Scottie Barnes and Florida State to the tune of 13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 0 turnovers as the catalyst of a 20-point win. He had no shortage of signature performances against Big Ten foes during the regular season.
With a 6-11 wingspan, a high motor and excellent technique, Wagner has proven to be a highly impactful defender both on and off the ball and there's little to suggest that won't continue in the NBA. He's aggressive fighting over the top of screens. He's technically sound on closeouts. He's active digging down on the ball when one pass away. He plays angles well and uses his size and instincts to make plays at the rim as both the primary and weakside defender. He understands at rim verticality. He's a great positional rebounder.
Wagner's clear swing skill is his shooting, especially when you consider the fact that he plays with a high center of gravity and isn't overly dynamic with the ball for a wing. With high hips he also struggles with balance at times and isn't as comfortable as he could be changing speeds or directions, suggesting his best minutes may come at power forward. But Wagner can push himself in transition, deliver heady pocket passes as a pick-and-roll ball handler, and is highly unselfish. So long as he's not asked to be a No. 1 or No. 2 scoring option, Wagner still looks the part of an NBA starter and an ideal fit in the modern NBA.
Although younger than projected one-and-dones like Barnes, Mobley, Suggs and Sharife Cooper, Wagner has more than 1,600 minutes of NCAA experience and 59 games of high-level pro experience to his name with Alba Berlin. He'll enter the NBA battle-tested with a mature style of play. He has as high of a floor as any prospect projected outside the top-10. The sour end to the season hurts now, but expect Wagner to still garner significant interest in the top-10 thanks to his age, versatility and skill level at a position every NBA team is looking to fill.
Top 100 ranking: 8
Wagner ended his sophomore season -- and likely his college career -- in agonizing fashion, missing two potential go-ahead 3s in the final seconds of Michigan's Elite Eight loss to UCLA while suffering defeat at the hands of Mick Cronin and the red-hot UCLA Bruins.
During a 1-for-10 shooting night, Wagner airballed an uncontested pull-up 3 with 12 seconds left that would have put Michigan up one, then missed a last-second heave with 0.5 left that could have made him a hero in Ann Arbor forever. The 6-foot-9 German forward shot just 2-for-16 from 3 in the NCAA tournament, missing his last eight 3-point attempts. That resurfaced some questions about his ability to score the ball consistently in the half court and his fluctuating confidence from behind the arc. However, Wagner's signature performance against Scottie Barnes in the Sweet 16 and the consistent two-way versatility and toughness he showed over the course of the tournament has earned him legitimate looks in a top 10 that lacks much clarity after 5.
When I first interviewed Wagner when he was a 6-foot-5, 15-year-old guard in January 2017, he said this of his game: "I think I can bring energy to the team and I'm really competitive."
Over four years and four inches later, that's exactly what Wagner brought to Michigan this season. He went for 15 points and 7 rebounds in a win over LSU and Cameron Thomas, defending multiple positions, making heady reads and attacking the rim with physicality. He outdueled fellow lottery pick Scottie Barnes and Florida State to the tune of 13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 0 turnovers as the catalyst of a 20-point win. He had no shortage of signature performances against Big Ten foes during the regular season.
With a 6-11 wingspan, a high motor and excellent technique, Wagner has proven to be a highly impactful defender both on and off the ball and there's little to suggest that won't continue in the NBA. He's aggressive fighting over the top of screens. He's technically sound on closeouts. He's active digging down on the ball when one pass away. He plays angles well and uses his size and instincts to make plays at the rim as both the primary and weakside defender. He understands at rim verticality. He's a great positional rebounder.
Wagner's clear swing skill is his shooting, especially when you consider the fact that he plays with a high center of gravity and isn't overly dynamic with the ball for a wing. With high hips he also struggles with balance at times and isn't as comfortable as he could be changing speeds or directions, suggesting his best minutes may come at power forward. But Wagner can push himself in transition, deliver heady pocket passes as a pick-and-roll ball handler, and is highly unselfish. So long as he's not asked to be a No. 1 or No. 2 scoring option, Wagner still looks the part of an NBA starter and an ideal fit in the modern NBA.
Although younger than projected one-and-dones like Barnes, Mobley, Suggs and Sharife Cooper, Wagner has more than 1,600 minutes of NCAA experience and 59 games of high-level pro experience to his name with Alba Berlin. He'll enter the NBA battle-tested with a mature style of play. He has as high of a floor as any prospect projected outside the top-10. The sour end to the season hurts now, but expect Wagner to still garner significant interest in the top-10 thanks to his age, versatility and skill level at a position every NBA team is looking to fill.
