Michigan freshman wing Franz Wagner will miss 4-to-6 weeks with an injury, U-M basketball reported Monday. Wagner was expected to start at the wing for the Wolverines.
Based on the timetable, Wagner is likely to miss at least a Nov. 1 exhibition with Saginaw Valley, a Nov. 5 home game with Appalachian State, the Nov. 12 contest with Creighton, a Nov. 15 home game with Elon and the Nov. 22 game with Houston Baptist. He could return for the Battle for Atlantis Tournament in the Bahamas starting Nov. 27 with a game against Iowa State.
Head coach Juwan Howard heaped praise on his freshman during Media Day last week.
"He's a super talented guy. Great skill level for a 6-foot-9 wing ... it’s pretty dynamic," Howard said. "I think Franz has a chance to have a really good year this season. He’s proven it in practice; his teammates trust him. He’s shown that he’s very competitive not only on the offensive end, but he’s a very good defensive ballplayer with his wingspan as well as his activity on the ball.
"He’s a quick learner with a high basketball IQ. He has a smooth stroke ... he’s also athletic, too. We’re going to be using a lot of Franz. He’s a competitor."
He added it seemed like he'd known him for years the first time he saw him play in Greece this summer.
"We’d talked a lot on the phone, done some FaceTiming. He’s very welcoming, a big smile on his face," Howard said. He just made me feel comfortable. That was a long trip, and he understood that and respected it. He told me, just like his parents did,, 'you don’t have to come; you can just wait.' But he appreciated the fact that I took time out of my schedule to come support him.
"Franz is one of our family members. Of course I would be there to watch him play and let him know that Michigan, the head coach, appreciates him. He’s family, and that’s what family does for one another."
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