Question on Wagner
While we are all waiting for the game, I thought I'd pose a genuine question about Mo Wagner for the Board -- particularly those who know a lot about basketball. In my exuberance over Wagner's excellence, I mentioned to people that he should be a top 10 pick in the draft. My brief reasoning was the a 6 foot 11 inch player who can shoot 3 pointers is valuable in the NBA today particularly because he looks like he is going to fill out and gain weight. This was immediately guffawed by the other people around me (who aren't Michigan fans) and I did some research on it. I was suprised that he isn't more highly regarded for the NBA.
What am I missing about today's NBA and/or Wagner's skills that don't make a higher draft pick? And, separate question, how many spots has this tournament's play moved him up?
Any thoughtful answers greatly appreciated. Dayenu! And Let's Go Blue!
you hang around people that guffaw
You have to be wearing slacks.
+1 Underrated
well at least they don't chortle.
Basically the take on him is that he's not big enough to defend the 5, and not athletic enough to defend the 4. In the NBA, Wagner best projects to a 4, with maybe switching to a 5 if opposing teams go to small ball.
Are you telling me that they actually play defense in the NBA?
argument I've ever heard, and shows that you haven't watched in NBA games since like 2001.
Actually, that's about right.
on the day of the draft. He's a very average athlete. He is a pretty one dimensional player, as elite as he can be offensively, he can be very inconsistent defensively. He can shoot well, but he's not great at creating his own shot from three against NBA Caliber defenders. He can probably only play one position in the NBA, and sometimes struggles against big bruising centers. He's a fantastic college player, and he's going to probably be a first round pick in the NBA, but there are too many young dudes that can jump through the roof with more versatility to consider him in the top 10. I could see him maybe sneaking into the lottery with a monster game tonight, but that's probably as high as his stock will rise.
He's welcome back.
come back next year. he likes collage life. if he comes back you will see more development. just wishing.
Where was Kaminsky drafted? Near 9 or 10 overall? He is a reasonable comparison to Moe Wagner as a versatile Big 10 big man, but lacking elite athleticism. Remember that Frank Kaminsky won National POY after his senior season at Wisconsin. He did everything consistently well. Shot the 3 well. Reasonable ball handler for a 7 footer. Great passer. Excellent collegiate defender. This is probably a similar ceiling for Moe Wagner IF he improves strength, explosion, and lateral movement and demonstrates consistency and dominance at the NCAA level. He's young for his age, so there is definitely room to improve his measurables. This tournament has been a microcosm of Wagner's career - tantalizing offensive skills, but still shows some inconsistency on both ends of the floor.
Moe's future ain't what it used to be.
Well, shit. Meant to say young for his class - he's a relatively young junior.
But now I go down in history with a stupid comment. Thanks for calling me out and locking me in!
I thought the same thing then scrolled down and saw your post then LOL'd. I'm going to use that one. Hey, stop telling me I'm old. I'm young for my age!
and best in over 10 years. His senior season was legendary. Maybe Wagner comes back and does same thing his senior year.
Exactly. Kaminsky had an epic senior season as a versatile 7 footer, and still barely cracked the top 10. Wagner would have to demonstrate this type of ability to get a top 15 draft grade next year, which means staying for his senior season.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's win the game tonight and celebrate in style.
I think our football coach is pretty good at his job, too.
He just doesn't have the footwork down on defense, and there seems to be somewhat of a mental component to it. Maybe he just is the type that argues over every foul call against him, but it seems like he doesn't realize that his problematic footwork often causes him to foul with his body on defense (even if his hands are straight up, which he will be the first to show you).
You can mock (incorrectly) the importance of defense in the NBA all you want, but there's a reason why Stauskas hasn't panned out.
he will have a pretty good career in Europe somewhere. He may stick around the NBA for a few but he will not be a starter - I really hope I am wrong. Would love to see him come back to UM next year - have a fantastic season, win back to back Natty's then have a nice solid pro career.....GO BLUE
for Golden State or Houston
In the pros, he could occasionally play the 5, but he is neither a rim protector or able to stop opposing bigs from backing him down.
The four which most likely his future position, requires a good deal of athleticism in today’s league-he just doesn’t have the foot speed.
Another year with Yacklich may prove to be helpful as he still lacks some of the awareness to play great d-watch him carefully at times and he’ll turn his back to the ball, be slow to help against dribble penetration or hedge a second too long before falling back into position.
I feel like Moe could catch on as a middle class man's Steve Novak or a lower middle class man's Ryan Anderson. He doesn't shoot nearly as well as they do (yet), but Novak never took anyone off the dribble, either.
I think he's a late second-rounder if he goes this year, maybe a high second-rounder next year. And I really hope the Spurs take him!
of his career for the 76'ers and Suns can become an all-star and HOF player, you've got to wonder what it takes to play forward in the NBA and succeed. But then again Charles was special. The Hornets got two Big Ten all-star centers and MVPs, Zeller and Kaminsky on their team, and neither is much of a difference maker, which just means the NBA and college basketball are comletely different games.