Yeah, not trying to downplay his ability. I love his game and might love his roster fit for Michigan even more.
Outlined a lot of that stuff in the video breakdown:
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Big10 Freshman of the year doesn’t matter. If Franz comes to Michigan make the team better and win.
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He would absolutely make Michigan better.
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Interesting piece here from Givony about how the EuroLeague is struggling to keep top young prospects.
EuroLeague officials are quietly expressing a level of concern about the current situation. Young basketball fans in Europe are growing up watching the NBA, not the EuroLeague, and the limited pathway to minutes at the highest levels is causing many talented prospects to explore the NCAA route. Germany’s best young prospect in years, Franz Wagner, is openly flirting with college despite the fact that his Alba Berlin team is likely to receive a wild card to next season’s EuroLeague. Top prospects such as Enes Kanter, Domantas Sabonis, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Alex Len and Lauri Markkanen have benefited from college basketball in recent years.
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Hard to see Franz get many on-ball opportunities in Alba next year. Almost all pro-basketball leagues outside US is dominated by veteran American players, especially at the guard positions, even with the restrictions on playing time. Young prospects like Franz will get more opportunities playing at NCAA, which is all about development.
Iggy also looked more physically ready for college ball than Franz does to me. I think he can make an immediate impact, but 15ppg-5rpg-39% from 3 would surpass my wildest dreams from him as a freshman.
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They are very different players. Was just trying to point out that the situation on the ball was very similar for Iggy last year.
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WOW, that’s better than solid defense at his age.
College basketball is and likely will always be the best developmental path for young players. Leagues abroad just dont have the same resources you have in college. Its why I find it comical when anybody thinks theres going be a major trend of top kids going abroad. Despite the fact you cant get paid in college, its still the best and most valuable path to the nba. Its going take these teams committing millions to high school prospects to start a trend. It isn’t worth few hundred thousand to bypass the college route.
There is a reason that most skip college to play in Australia league. It does not pay as much, thus less competitive. Best players outside NBA play in Europe and China for much better money.
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I guess. But CJ Walker wasn’t even particularly good at Florida State.
Sure, but he was a starter for an Elite Eight team and had a transfer year to get better. I don’t know that he’ll be a star, but he should certainly be a contributor.
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Watching those Franz videos isn’t healthy. Holy wow 
If he doesn’t go blue, I’ll be in the dumps!
Franz says he is up to 6ft9 and I believe him based on recent photos . If he does come, um could have the biggest starting lineup in the country with Simpson, franz, livers, johns and Teske.
Google translation:
Franz Wagner in the conflict of feelings
Franz Wagner wants to announce soon whether he stays with Alba Berlin or changes to college. Maybe even during the final series against Munich.
22.06.2019, 19:00
Dietmar Wenck
Talent against old hands: Franz Wagner (l.) Is afraid of nothing, not even a duel with the veteran Stefan Jovic from Munich.
Talent against old hands: Franz Wagner (l.) Is afraid of nothing, not even a duel with the veteran Stefan Jovic from Munich.Photo: Andreas Gora / picture alliance / dpa
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Berlin. Always this annoying question: “How tall are you actually now?” Franz Wagner smiles slightly tormented. “I think so four feet four.” Oh please, again an inch more since the end of March. Not to mention the start of the season in the basketball league last September, when he was still listed with 2.01 meters. The growth of the 17-year-old is therefore also to be proven in small units. But not only by far. All those who are interested in German basketball are now wondering what heights this Franz Wagner will achieve.
Which way leads to the NBA?
Above all: where? Is he staying with Alba Berlin, the club where he grew up? Or does he change to college in the summer? Everyone agrees that his path is most likely to lead into the NBA, the best league in the world. Disagreement however, how best to get there. He himself, he says, does not know yet, but he wants to announce it very soon, "maybe even during the series. I hope that will work until Friday ".
This refers to the final series for the German championship against Bayern Munich. The defending champion from the Isar leads 2: 0 and can finish the season in his own hall on Sunday (18 clock, Sport1 and Magentasport) with another victory. So Wagner is a very confident young person, one who does not look back long. It is well worth the review of the second final. Not least because of him.
His best game of all in the final
Since Franz Wagner showed more than ever, what is in him. Coach Aito Reneses gave him a place in the starting lineup. The young man used his chance in front of a good 14,000 fans in the Mercedes-Benz Arena, as if such a final in such an atmosphere would be the norm in the world. “Yes, the game was my best in the season, I would say,” he analyzes factually. Six throws, partly from very difficult situations, six hits, 14 points, no ball loss.
His last highlight was delivered 13 seconds before the end to 77:78, the Munich NBA star Derrick Williams stretched out in vain. Nevertheless, Wagner turned the trio ice cold. “I did not feel so good about the litter, but we needed the points, so I tried it,” he says. The fact that the Berlin finally lost 77:82, at least was not due to him.
The great talent Wagner also works very hard
In addition, the youngster defended well against the Euroleague veteran Nihad Djedovic, Petteri Koponen, even Williams. “It’s a huge job, but it’s extremely fun,” he says. Any mistake will be punished immediately, but "that’s the way it should be. That’s how you get better. "He wants that, but he’s been working hard since graduating from high school a year ago. Before training, in training, even after training. "Franz is not just a big, big talent. He is very hardworking. You can see how much that brings to him “, praises his fellow player Rokas Giedraitis,” he always goes forward, has no doubts. And he is only 17. "
Alba tries everything to convince Wagner to stay. Coach Reneses has given him a lot of commitment and confidence, including in the Eurocup, where he was in the semifinals in Andorra in the initial formation. Overall, Wagner has played nearly sixty games this season, eleven times starter. Because the Berliners have always seen him as an important part of the team, as a jewel that has to be given the opportunity to learn and shine. “He has things here that he does not have elsewhere,” says CEO Marco Baldi, “and he already has a role.”
Ojeda: “Franz belongs to this level”
“We are very happy about his development,” says sports director Himar Ojeda. "He belongs to this level and should not play against juniors in the US. He should not go into an uncertain situation either. Here he knows what he has and experiences what he is capable of. "And a feeling, what else can become of it. An important argument is Reneses, who has already led several players in the NBA, the Spaniard Pau Gasol, the Latvians Kristaps Porzingis and a few more. Without college. Ojeda points out that few Europeans have made the leap into the NBA through university teams.
However, one of the few was Moritz Wagner, four years older brother of Franz. Together with their parents they have in mid-May the college in Ann Arbor near Detroit one
For several days, Moritz became the star of the Michigan Wolverines. He then got a million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Only now is his big sponsor John Beilein no longer coaching the Wolverines, he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA. One argument per Berlin.
Alba has made him an offer
Alba has made him a contract offer, but now he really wants to become professional and then maybe only play basketball for 20 years? Or is he taking his time in the US, getting to know the campus, a different culture? The 17-year-old Franz Wagner is in exactly this dilemma. As if to emphasize this, he gives a second answer to the question of his size. “Six-nine,” he says. Six feet, nine inches, that’s also 2.04 meters. That’s the way the Americans speak.
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He apparently Facetimed with Juwan Howard during this process since Juwan wasn’t allowed to visit Germany per recruiting rules.
The family trust, the trust with Saddi Washington and previous assistants, and the love for Michigan was very powerful.
Just a wonderful, intelligent family.
Franz Wagner, 
SIAP but I found it hilarious that CBS guy left Franz off his 10 Big Ten impact freshmen list. He’s a shoe in as a top 10 freshman barring injury IMO. I’d bet on him being team 5.
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Livestream of today’s U18 opener (looks like it starts at noon EDT):
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Playing now:
Waiting to see if there are any updates on Franz’s injury. He came back in after the initial injury, but only played about a minute before coming back out again. I’m wondering what kind of training/medical staff the German U18 team has.
For those who didn’t see it, Franz seemed to tweak his back or side, maybe hip, perhaps oblique, on an awkward drive to the basket at about the 8:00 minute mark of the third quarter. No contact from defender, just sort of a freak thing. Obviously we all hope it’s just a strain or a minor tweak and he’ll be fine.
EDIT: He seemed fine in the handshake line, but his right shoulder seemed to droop a bit lower than the left. Don’t know if that’s normal for him or not. He was walking fine and didn’t seem to be wincing in pain or anything. It’ll be interested to see if he’s good to go in the next game, is it tomorrow?
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