Final NBA Mock Draft Roundup: Where Will Moe Wagner Be Drafted?
Tonight, former Michigan center Moritz "Moe" Wagner should hear his name called during the NBA Draft, which starts at 7 p.m. at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. You catch watch the draft on ESPN.
It will be a lifelong dream realized for the man who represented the University of Michigan well during his three years in Ann Arbor, and led the Wolverines to a national championship game.
Wagner could be drafted anywhere from the middle of the first round to early in the second round — experts differ greatly on where they see him going. The No. 15 overall pick seems to be the ceiling, while the No. 44 overall pick seems to be the floor — the Washington Wizards own both picks, worked out Wagner twice and seem to like him a lot.
Here's a roundup of major media outlets' final NBA mock drafts and where they project Wagner to land. Keep in mind the first round is picks 1-30 and second round is picks 31-60.
NBA.com/TNT's David Aldridge: No. 21 overall to the Utah Jazz
What They Said: "The Wolverines’ junior played himself into first-round consideration with an excellent season and NCAA Tournament, leading Michigan to the national championship game. He’s a tailor-made modern day big, who’s been a dynamic three-point shooter the last two years (39 percent as a sophomore and a junior) while also being able to put the ball on the deck and get to the rim. Wagner stuck his nose inside as well for Michigan last season, leading the team in rebounding at 7.1 per game. Wagner would be a very different kind of big than Derrick Favors, but he’d be a solid insurance policy for Utah with Favors one of the few quality bigs available in free agency this summer."
HoopsHype.com's Aran Smith: No. 30 overall to the Atlanta Hawks
What They Said: "With a team essentially being built from scratch, developing the right culture is vital. Wagner checks a lot of the boxes as far as being a strong influence and leader, aside from his basketball skills. Is he a team’s long-term answer as a starting center? Probably not, but he could potentially be a valuable addition for a young team like the Hawks."
NBADraft.net: No. 30 overall to the Atlanta Hawks
The Ringer: No. 33 overall to the Dallas Mavericks
What They Said: "A skilled offensive big man who needs to improve defensively to stay on the floor.
Pluses:
• Good 3-point shooter who can hit tough, contested jumpers off the catch.
• Strong screener who can pick-and-pop, attack closeouts, or roll.
• Solid ball handler who looks fluid on drives, though his first step must get quicker.
• Makes intelligent passes within the flow of his team’s offense.
• Plays with great energy on defense, so if his fundamentals improve he could become a solid positional defender.
Minuses:
• Struggles guarding on the perimeter; may not be a player who can comfortably switch screens.
• Not an ideal defensive anchor, as he doesn't alter many shots at the rim.
• Hasn’t shown the ability to shoot jumpers off the dribble.
• Could improve at carving out space under the rim and finishing from awkward angles."
CBS Sports's Matt Norlander: No. 33 overall to the Dallas Mavericks
What They Said: "Projections on Wagner have been erratic over the past four months. Wouldn't it be great to see him team up as a rookie with fellow German Dirk Nowitzki?"
Sporting News's Chris Stone: No. 33 overall to the Dallas Mavericks
The Athletic's Sam Vecenie: No. 34 overall to the Atlanta Hawks
What They Said: "Above, we have the Hawks selecting [Luka] Doncic, [Robert] Williams and [Elie] Okobo. While Wagner might seem redundant with Williams positionally, they have entirely different skill sets. Wagner is a smooth-shooting, offensive-minded center who figures to be a solid rotation player."
Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo: No. 44 overall to the Washington Wizards
What They Said: "Wagner is another player with an outside chance at the first round, but his NBA outlook can be divisive depending on who you talk to. His size and ability to shoot the three give him a chance to stick as a role player, following in the footsteps of many similar defensive-challenged but offensively talented big men. The Wizards could immediately use a big that can space the floor."
ESPN: Not selected in first round.
SB Nation: Not selected in first round.
USA Today: Not selected in first round.
Bleacher Report: Not selected in first round.
NBC: Not selected in first round.
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