Franz had a very bad offensive game against UCLA. I understand the angst this caused, and the desire to vent about his abilities and future. A week plus later though, it's time to reflect on what Franz has meant to this program over the last two seasons and going forward. Obviously, the success of a program is attributable to a team effort from staff to players to managers to administrators, etc., and no one person gets the sole credit for success (or failure when things go badly). Nonetheless, there is a very real, and to me, convincing, argument that Franz was a major, major factor--perhaps as much as any other single individual--in making Michigan basketball and Juwan what they have been in the short term, and will be in long term even after his departure.
Consider where we were in June of 2019. Our long-time, incredibly successful coach had just left us. This was followed by our star recruit, Jalen Wilson, opting out, and guys in the portal whom we had been pursuing (including, for example, Cumberland from Oakland) going elsewhere in the void which remained. We had 10 scholarship players, or whom only 2, Adrien Nunez and Cole Bajema, were wing players. Neither had shown at the time, nor have shown since, a likely ability to be a rotation piece, much less a starter. And because the program was in flux, there were no real possibilities other than Franz to fill the void--indeed, for much of the month, Juwan couldn't even perform certain recruiting functions (nor could Howard Eisley) because they had not yet been cleared by the NCAA to do so.
Franz learned, while on the way from Germany to Ann Arbor, that JB had left. He was shown around campus by the 3 remaining assistant coaches, 2 of whom went elsewhere shortly after, and a group of shell-shocked players. He didn't know who the head coach was going to be while on his visit and for a few weeks thereafter. Even after he found out it was Juwan, they had never met and, as noted, it was quite a while before Juwan could even participate personally in his recruitment. In the meantime, Franz had ample options, including being paid to play for his high level European club team, Alba Berlin. Despite all of this, Franz took a gigantic leap of faith and chose Michigan, a place where he would not even be able to practice with his teammates and learn the new system until late August/early September, 2 months behind everyone else.
2019-20 was a good season, not great, in significant part due to Isaiah's injuries, but good enough that we were a solid NCAA tournament 6 seed (top 25) even with Isaiah's issues prior to everything being wiped out by COVID. We got off to a great start, winning in the Bahamas and pounding UNC and Gonzaga on national TV along the way. Franz was rusty during those games, as he was recovering from a broken wrisr, but he was a stabilizing force and completely transformed the lineup from a defensive perspective from his first minute on the court. It is no coincidence that Hunter Dickinson, who did not sign or commit in the early signing period, in part because he wanted to see us play, committed to Michigan after the showing in the Bahamas. It is no coincidence that Terrance Williams committed shortly thereafter. It is no coincidence that the success we had in 2019-20, including the Bahamas and staying afloat after Isaiah's injuries (during which time, Franz started to realize his vast potential), as well as Franz's decision to not even look at the NBA draft after last season (when he was likely to be drafted, albeit in the second round) contributed significantly to convincing guys like Mike Smith and Chaundee Brown that this could be a very good season at Michigan, and that they should come aboard. And to convincing this year's recruiting class that signing with Juwan was more than just a wish and a prayer.
Then came this year. Yes, Franz was up and down some on the offensive end of the floor. He was still an All-League player, and in a number of games, the best overall player on the floor by a wide margin. Again, what we accomplished this year doesn't happen, or even come close to happening, if Franz doesn't take his leap of faith, and if Hunter doesn't see the early season success in 2019-20 and follow him. The recruiting classes in '22 and 'even 23 wlll be influenced heavily, and affirmatively so, by what we were able to accomplish this year.
I assume Franz has played his last game at Michigan. He's going to be a first round draft pick, make millions of dollars, and pursue his dream. Call me sappy if you'd like, but I'm going to remember Franz for choosing Michigan when it would have been much easier and safer to do otherwise, and for what he has done since then in terms of overall impact, rather than for his struggles in his last game.
Consider where we were in June of 2019. Our long-time, incredibly successful coach had just left us. This was followed by our star recruit, Jalen Wilson, opting out, and guys in the portal whom we had been pursuing (including, for example, Cumberland from Oakland) going elsewhere in the void which remained. We had 10 scholarship players, or whom only 2, Adrien Nunez and Cole Bajema, were wing players. Neither had shown at the time, nor have shown since, a likely ability to be a rotation piece, much less a starter. And because the program was in flux, there were no real possibilities other than Franz to fill the void--indeed, for much of the month, Juwan couldn't even perform certain recruiting functions (nor could Howard Eisley) because they had not yet been cleared by the NCAA to do so.
Franz learned, while on the way from Germany to Ann Arbor, that JB had left. He was shown around campus by the 3 remaining assistant coaches, 2 of whom went elsewhere shortly after, and a group of shell-shocked players. He didn't know who the head coach was going to be while on his visit and for a few weeks thereafter. Even after he found out it was Juwan, they had never met and, as noted, it was quite a while before Juwan could even participate personally in his recruitment. In the meantime, Franz had ample options, including being paid to play for his high level European club team, Alba Berlin. Despite all of this, Franz took a gigantic leap of faith and chose Michigan, a place where he would not even be able to practice with his teammates and learn the new system until late August/early September, 2 months behind everyone else.
2019-20 was a good season, not great, in significant part due to Isaiah's injuries, but good enough that we were a solid NCAA tournament 6 seed (top 25) even with Isaiah's issues prior to everything being wiped out by COVID. We got off to a great start, winning in the Bahamas and pounding UNC and Gonzaga on national TV along the way. Franz was rusty during those games, as he was recovering from a broken wrisr, but he was a stabilizing force and completely transformed the lineup from a defensive perspective from his first minute on the court. It is no coincidence that Hunter Dickinson, who did not sign or commit in the early signing period, in part because he wanted to see us play, committed to Michigan after the showing in the Bahamas. It is no coincidence that Terrance Williams committed shortly thereafter. It is no coincidence that the success we had in 2019-20, including the Bahamas and staying afloat after Isaiah's injuries (during which time, Franz started to realize his vast potential), as well as Franz's decision to not even look at the NBA draft after last season (when he was likely to be drafted, albeit in the second round) contributed significantly to convincing guys like Mike Smith and Chaundee Brown that this could be a very good season at Michigan, and that they should come aboard. And to convincing this year's recruiting class that signing with Juwan was more than just a wish and a prayer.
Then came this year. Yes, Franz was up and down some on the offensive end of the floor. He was still an All-League player, and in a number of games, the best overall player on the floor by a wide margin. Again, what we accomplished this year doesn't happen, or even come close to happening, if Franz doesn't take his leap of faith, and if Hunter doesn't see the early season success in 2019-20 and follow him. The recruiting classes in '22 and 'even 23 wlll be influenced heavily, and affirmatively so, by what we were able to accomplish this year.
I assume Franz has played his last game at Michigan. He's going to be a first round draft pick, make millions of dollars, and pursue his dream. Call me sappy if you'd like, but I'm going to remember Franz for choosing Michigan when it would have been much easier and safer to do otherwise, and for what he has done since then in terms of overall impact, rather than for his struggles in his last game.
