NBA Draft Board: Michigan’s Franz Wagner

Ahead of the 2021 NBA Draft, we’re breaking down 20 of the best prospects in the class.

In the 2021 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder own two picks just outside the lottery at No. 16 and No. 18 overall. One of the prospects who could fall in that range is Franz Wagner who most recently played at Michigan.

Profile:

The younger brother of Moritz Wagner, Franz is yet another talented Big 10 prospect. Standing at 6-foot-9, he has the ability to play a variety of positions, from forward in a small ball lineup, or guard in a bigger lineup.

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Strengths:

For being a modern forward, Wagner is actually a solid rebounder, which is something that makes him stand out above other similar players in his class. While he may not do this as often in the NBA, he was comfortable bringing the ball up in college as a point-forward.

Not only does Wagner have the ability to space the floor and knock down threes, but he was one of the best in the country at finishing around the rim as well. He’s also an excellent free throw shooter and capable defender.

Weaknesses:

While Wagner is a solid shooter and finisher inside, he hasn’t shown many flashes of being a shot creator. While he can knock down jumpers and convert at a high level near the rim when created for, he hasn’t been the elite playmaker many teams crave.

Not being a major creator comes from the lack of explosiveness in his game. Additionally, Wagner didn’t seem to make a major jump from his freshman to sophomore season in college, begging the question of whether his ceiling is as high as it should be to be taken in the lottery.