Franz Wagner 2021 NBA Draft Profile

The 2021 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Franz Wagner 2021 NBA Draft Profile.

Franz Wagner Background

Position: Forward

Size: 6-foot-9, 220 pounds

School: Michigan

Class: Sophomore

2021 stats: 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 blocks per game, 1.3 steals per game, 47.7% FG, 34.3% 3PT, 83.5% FT

Wagner is a much different player from his brother Moe Wagner, but he followed in his footsteps in a few different ways. Now, he will attempt to join his brother in the NBA.

Before attending college, Wagner played professionally in Europe. He decided to go to Michigan, the school where his brother helped lead a team to a Final Four. As a freshman, Wagner averaged 11.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. That season ended early due to COVID-19, but Wagner returned as a sophomore to lead the Wolverines to the Elite Eight. He improved his game from his freshman to his sophomore season with 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

After the Wolverines exited the NCAA Tournament, Wagner decided to go pro. He is currently projected to be a lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Strengths

Franz Wagner

Wagner has a solid outside shot to stretch the floor. He improved from 31 percent to 34 percent in his second year on campus. Wagner has a smooth stroke and can make shots off the catch or the dribble. His ability to stretch the floor is becoming more and more valuable in today’s NBA.

His ball-handling and playmaking are solid for a player at his position and his size. He can drive decently well and keeps his head up to make the right basketball play. Wagner can finish at the basket at a decent level or find open teammates on the perimeter. In transition, teammates can pass the ball to him on the fastbreak and trust him to make the right decision.

He has good defensive abilities as well. Even though he is a taller player at 6-foot-9, he is able to guard on the perimeter. His length helps him jump into passing lanes, as he had 1.3 steals per game. He also has good basketball IQ on the defensive end, as he reads plays well and shows good team defense with his ability to help.

Weaknesses

While he has solid body control, which helps him drive and dribble well, he isn’t the most athletic player in the class. He lacks a quick first step and could have trouble going up against NBA level athletes. If his athleticism becomes a problem, defense will be tough and it will be hard for him to contribute on offense other than being a floor-stretcher.

His size helped him create his own shot at the college level a little bit, but at the NBA level, he may not have the moves to free himself for open shots. He may be a player that needs help creating separation by running off screens before getting the basketball.

He has shown to be able to shoot from the outside, but he can be streaky. Wagner will make a few in a row form the outside at times, but also goes really cold at times. He has been growing over the last few years, so once he stops, it should be easier for him to find more consistency as a shooter. That, and getting more reps shooting from NBA range, should help make him more reliable consistently.

Projected Draft Range: Lottery Pick

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