Michigan freshman Franz Wagner was expected to make an immediate impact for the Wolverines this year, but the German suffered a wrist injury before the season and was thrown into the fire against great competition when he returned. Wagner faced Iowa State, North Carolina and Gonzaga in his first three contests, followed by a road game at No. 1 Louisville before Big Ten play started.
It took him a while to get back into basketball shape. He averaged 7.7 points per game on 15-of-43 (.349) shooting, including 5-of-23 (.217) from long range, heading into a Dec. 14 game with Oregon.
Wagner then exploded against the Ducks for his best game of the year, notching a team-high 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including 4-for-7 from long range. He was 7-for-8 with 18 points in the second half and overtime in backing up head coach Juwan Howard’s pregame statements about him.
“He’s going to be one of the best to ever play at Michigan,” Howard said. “He’s a fierce competitor and a skilled wing at 6-9. He’s a smart, high-IQ player and he can shoot the ball very well from the outside. He’s a basketball genius.”
Howard has said since the preseason he felt Wagner was a future pro, and he didn’t back off that stance even when his player seemed to be struggling. He backed him up again after Wagner’s big game against the Ducks, noting he’d been playing well in a number of other areas even when he wasn’t scoring.
“Franz, you all think he’s having a bad stretch,” Howard said at his postgame press conference following the 71-70 overtime loss to Oregon. “For me, he’s been playing great for us because Franz has been affecting the game in other ways other than just putting the ball in the basket. He’s been defending, rebounding against bigs who may have 50-70 pounds more than him, some are also taller than him. He’s been competing, diving on the floor for loose balls.
“He’s been affecting the game in different ways. Tonight, it was his night and the shot went in. There were also good looks and he was aggressive, but it goes to show you, Franz is a guy who’s a competitor.”
Wagner is his own worst critic, Howard agreed, and there are times the coach has to keep him from being too hard on himself. The freshman has played solid defense from the get-go and shown an ability to get to the rim, something the Wolverines need more of heading into the meat of the Big Ten schedule.
But they also need shooters, and Wagner showed he can provide plenty of help outside against the Ducks.
“I felt good today,” Wagner said after the game. “Like I said last [game], sometimes you’re going to have a good offensive game, sometimes you don’t. I just have to take what the defense gives me and stay confident out there. I think everybody does that on our team, and I think we have to continue to do that.”
He remained confident even when he was struggling, he added, and stuck to what he knew, playing within himself and taking good shots. He hit a key triple at the shot clock buzzer in the second half and opened overtime with another long three in providing a needed spark. It just wasn’t enough.“No adjustments, no nothing,” Wagner said of his performance. “I just did the same things that I did before, and shots just started falling.
“I’m confident in what I do because I go to practice and give my best every day. When you do that, you’re not nervous or anything; you don’t have to adjust. The confidence comes from working.”
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