Oh, no: Franz in draft prediction
Sports Illustrated mock draft has Wagner in the first round, #13:
"Wagner looks the part as a top 20 prospect and should continue playing his way into late lottery consideration if all goes well."
https://www.si.com/nba/2021/01/20/nba-mock-draft-2021-latest-first-round-projections
January 20th, 2021 at 3:48 PM ^
No surprise. Recruit. Develop. Push to the NBA.
Next 5* up for JH to mold.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^
This cycle is annoying and what drop Beilein to the NBA himself. Pro leagues using college as their farms is annoying.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:18 PM ^
Oh, no! Our players are too good too soon!
January 20th, 2021 at 4:24 PM ^
This is like a guy complaining that his junk is too big.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:31 PM ^
Big Johnson, fat wallet. Problems, problems...
January 20th, 2021 at 6:24 PM ^
Mo’ money, mo’ problems.
January 20th, 2021 at 5:28 PM ^
That’s actually a bad problem to have. Many women have small openings and you’ll end up high and dry if it’s too painful.
January 20th, 2021 at 6:07 PM ^
Clearly that is not what she said.
January 20th, 2021 at 6:32 PM ^
That's what she said... to the smaller guy to spare his feelings.
January 20th, 2021 at 11:34 PM ^
That’s actually a bad problem to have.
Concur.
Not to mention that soul crushing downer you feel when you're in the heat of the moment and then she says, "there's no way you are sticking that inside of me."
January 20th, 2021 at 4:30 PM ^
Until he realized the NBA was a bigger pain in the ass than kids leaving early. It's a vicious cycle.
January 20th, 2021 at 5:54 PM ^
Why is this annoying, and btw, been happening for 60 years?
January 20th, 2021 at 8:04 PM ^
It has not been happening for 60 years (1961), and it hasn't impacted so many, many guys after just 2 seasons until perhaps what- 25 years or so ago?
It's certainly understandable and its never going back to the way it was, but that doesn't mean we can't be just a bit nostalgic about the days when you could count on seeing 3 years of some really great college players.
January 20th, 2021 at 9:15 PM ^
Webber only stayed 2 years and that was almost 30 years at this point. It's a thing, let's not fight it. We're recruiting really well so I think it's OK.
January 21st, 2021 at 11:05 AM ^
Hence, why I said:so many, many. I think Chris had a couple of very talented teammates who went on to long productive NBA careers who stayed 3 years, you may have heard of them. In fact one is in coaching now.
I realize it's a thing and I am not fighting it, my point was there is no reason to rip someone who wishes it might be otherwise (all the while knowing that it won't be).
It would be interesting to have a candid sit down with Nick Stauskas and ask if he ever wistfully thinks about what it would have been like if the had stayed one more year. And before you rip me for saying that he couldn't and he got his money and it was the smart thing to do at the time- I am not contesting this.
January 21st, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
30 <> 60. Ten years ago none of us would have understood "portal". There is a quickening that is inevitable perhaps. It is not better.
That some kids enter freshman year as sophomores while others can't find remedial math to bridge the gap is regrettable.
There is nothing honest in the truth. Athletics are not college. College is nowhere near the intended land grant or liberal arts institutions they were to become. Things are changing too fast.
In other news... penis size is a matter of debate. Somethings never change.
January 20th, 2021 at 7:04 PM ^
Isnt the ultimate goal getting paid ? Most pro leagues around the world are paying at least $100 000 . im guessing 99% of college players are happy to see 900 pro teams around the world,more chance to keep playing and make $$$$
January 21st, 2021 at 8:09 AM ^
Duke and Kentucky pay better than that.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:17 PM ^
To a certain extent yeah. We're seeing the OAD factories struggle this year (Duke, Kentucky, etc.) so I hope JH takes 5*s or 4.5*s (like Franz) that stick around for more than just a year to physically mature enough to win some games.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:18 PM ^
You're in luck then; that appears to be the formula Juwan is attempting to implement.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:31 PM ^
Exactly, but remains to be seen. Houstan is on a lot of early mock drafts and I would be surprised if Moussa was here for more than a year, but yeah I like everyone else in the incoming class a lot because they'll likely be here long enough to make a sustained impact
January 20th, 2021 at 9:17 PM ^
Honestly having 1-2 one-and-dones and then a few higher level supporters in each class is the best way to do it.
January 20th, 2021 at 3:50 PM ^
He gone. Dang.
January 20th, 2021 at 5:32 PM ^
I think we were all hoping he would have a really good year this year but be undervalued by the NBA to the 2nd half of the first round, be highly incentivized to show them how wrong they are, make a huge leap next year, lead Michigan to a national championship, be drafted #1, make 100s of millions, and start raising a whole bunch of basketball playing youngsters dedicated to becoming great and playing for Michigan.
January 20th, 2021 at 6:01 PM ^
Every chance Dakich gets he keeps telling us Franz is the best NBA prospect in the B1G, what did anyone expect?
January 20th, 2021 at 7:22 PM ^
Anyone mocked in the first round should declare. That's too much guaranteed money to pass up. On top of that, the current age restrictions are going away in 2022, so if a college sophomore is mocked in the first round in 2021, he's especially incentivized to enter the draft.
January 21st, 2021 at 7:09 AM ^
a fringe first rounder in 2021 might not even get drafted in 2022 with the rule change.
January 20th, 2021 at 3:50 PM ^
Enjoy his game while it lasts at Michigan. I hate to say it, but it looks like he’ll be gone. Let’s hope for a great run on the way. What a fun player to watch. His effort and passion are fantastic. Some solace, high picks tend to encourage other high quality talent to join the fun.
January 20th, 2021 at 6:06 PM ^
I am savoring every moment. Franz is such a smart player with great instincts. A joy to watch.
January 20th, 2021 at 3:50 PM ^
No surprise, he's a damn good NBA prospect. Hopefully he leads Michigan to a championship this year and goes and gets his.
January 20th, 2021 at 3:54 PM ^
From early struggles this season to a beast on both sides of the ball. I know OP said it in jest, but this is less of an "oh no" and more of a huge accomplishment for the staff, team, and Wagner.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:02 PM ^
Perhaps the sportcasters talk about how good he is.
Perhaps Dakich calls him the best NBA prospect in the Big Ten.
And perhaps whenever they say that, I stick my fingers in my ears and go la-la-la-la-la-la...
(You're right. It's a tribute to his talent and hard work, and to the coaches and fellow players. Howevah, la-la-la-la-la-la...)
January 20th, 2021 at 3:56 PM ^
What a selfish bastard. How dare Franz elevate his all around game enough to get noticed by the mock draft world.
/s
/I'm a selfish bastard for wishing we could see him in a UM uniform for at least another year.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:02 PM ^
I'd be more surprised if came back next year
January 20th, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^
If you get two years of a guy in the starting lineup, it's hard to complain. The Wagner family has been very good to Michigan.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:06 PM ^
You just have a crush on his mom....
January 20th, 2021 at 4:43 PM ^
Cue EGJ to post the picture of her wearing M jersey clapping in 3-2-1...
January 20th, 2021 at 5:21 PM ^
You don't love some Beate?
January 20th, 2021 at 4:07 PM ^
Next Wagner up
January 20th, 2021 at 4:11 PM ^
Of course he's going after this season. He's definitely ready.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:31 PM ^
You shut your mouth!!! But I agree with you.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:13 PM ^
I predicted 2-3 years from Franz but I guessed 3 when he re-committed to Michigan after Coach Juwan Howard was hired.
I wish Franz well regardless of whether he leaves after 2 or 3 seasons. I just hope we get a Big Ten Regular Season Championship, a Big Ten Tournament Championship, and at least a Final Four appearance before he exits. A National Championship would be the perfect ending but I realize how much luck is needed to win one.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:15 PM ^
I just read an article how Caleb Houstan's draft stock was going up and I haven't even seen him yet. Recruit great players and enjoy whatever you get from them. Hopefully, we can mix in some 4 year types with the NBA guys. It is just nice being good at basketball.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:25 PM ^
Sounds about right to me.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:25 PM ^
Obviously
January 20th, 2021 at 4:27 PM ^
Shit...here is to hoping he wants to play during March Madness and his brother covers a big insurance policy.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:28 PM ^
Love Franz and think he will definitely be drafted, but I think him being a borderline lottery pick is a BOLD prediction, especially in a draft class like this one. I see him more as a late first rounder or early second rounder
January 21st, 2021 at 2:41 AM ^
Yeah, this is just one mock draft. It's one of many. I checked NBADraft.net and Wagner doesn't show up in that mock which is laughable but I expect that to change. Wagner should be getting 2nd round projections at minimum.
But all it takes is one team to believe in a player and draft him high.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:29 PM ^
Also their scoop on Josh Christopher, ouch. His decommitment seems like a blessing in disguise:
...he also struggles to impact winning, and his feel for decision making has always left something to be desired. Christopher doesn’t play a ton of defense, he’s shot the ball poorly from three (9-for-37 through 10 games), and he’s still not as willing a passer as you’d like. His level of focus seems to come and go, and scouts have always been skeptical about his makeup—he comes off as more of a showman than an intense competitor at times.
January 20th, 2021 at 4:34 PM ^
Going to a team with a legit coach and that runs a legit team offense would've done Christopher a lot of good, but unsurprisingly his ego took over and he went to ASU where Hurley lets him do whatever he wants