Agreed, though presents a hurdle I hadn’t previously considered…he does need to pass. Hopefully not an issue.
The potential Robin Benzing issue. By almost all accounts, Franz excels academically though FWIW.
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I think it’s every kid’s dream to play in the NBA one day. I would say getting 15-20mins a game for a EuroLeague team will give him great exposure as well and would allow him to enter the draft next year, too. But I agree with your point, IF he takes off in the Big10 he will probably garner more hype just because he is in the US and more “experts” can take a look at him.
NBA outs are fairly standard and as he is currently without contract, I am pretty sure that would be a given for him if he were to sign with ALBA.
My gut feeling: the Wagner family loves Michigan and therefore you guys still have a pretty good chance to get him
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I’m hoping this is a Sam Webb type “gut feeling!” 
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Who is thetruth
Someone in Germany who was the first to report about Franz’s official visit to Michigan on our very own UMHoops board, lol.
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So far he has been thetruth. 
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Thetruth will set you free.
What advice do you think Derrick Walton would give to Franz? Even if Walton felt that Franz’s NBA ambitions would be best served by going to Michigan, would he feel that he would be risking his own Albe Berlin future by recommending that to Franz and then have that recommendation being found out by Albe Berlin management.
Walton is most likely going to be a free agent looking for a job with another team in Europe this summer. I’m not sure anything he tells Franz one way or another is going to impact him. I’m sure he’ll say positive things about Michigan or whatever, but that won’t be a deciding factor in whatever Franz does.
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Assume the apartments are bugged, so have that conversation in the parking lot, or meet in a busy square or in a cafe like the spies in the movies.
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I think Franz has already decided what he is going to do. I am quite sure Derrick Walton would say great things about Michigan, but the most influential former Michigan player in Franz’s decision is Moe, and I’m pretty sure Moe has said good things to Franz not only about his experience at Michigan but also about Juwan Howard and his reputation as a former NBA player and coach.
Has any contact between he and Howard been reported?
Who would be reporting it? I doubt Franz is talking while his team are in the finals
Dunno. Obviously the program’s interest in him didn’t end with Beilein, but unless I’ve missed it I haven’t heard that Juwan has called or visited.
My point was just that the original question about Franz and Walton sort of laid things out like they are characters, not real people. They are real people and have real conversations, etc.
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Feel like we’ve been over the NCAA rules at this point, Juwan can’t visit Franz (or anyone) because it is a quiet period. Off campus visits to unsigned prospects aren’t allowed until September.
Franz hasn’t discussed his recruitment publicly with anyone really but I think it is safe to assume that he’s been in contact with Juwan/Michigan over the phone.
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Of course. Understood.
Oh, I was mistakenly equating his situation with Wilson, in whose case a visit would have been allowed because he’d signed the LOI, if I have it right. Thanks.