Former Michigan Wolverines basketball standout Moe Wagner is playing a key role in the surging Washington Wizards' success over the last week and a half. Wagner has started the team's last five games, all wins, after a stretch of losing four of five contests.

While his minutes haven't dramatically increased, he is being credited for helping turn the team's fortunes around. Over the last five, he's averaging 7.8 points per night, which is up 1.6 points from his average on the year.

The Wizards are actually 4-17 on the year when Wagner plays less than 20 minutes and 4-0 when he sees more than 20 minutes of action.

While head coach Scott Brooks has not committed to Wagner being his starting center for the long haul, he is impressed with the way he's handled himself through a year in which his minutes have gone down and he's missed games while in COVID-19 protocols.

“When you don’t get your way, you have two choices … You can get better from it or you can be bitter, and Moe is handling it the right way,” Brooks said last week. “A positive mental attitude gets you a long ways. That’s why he’s becoming really a solid piece for us.”

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Interestingly enough, Tim Hardaway Jr. is in a similar position as Wagner in that he's recently upped his game and is positively impacting his team, the Dallas Mavericks. However, he's doing it in a different way — Hardaway has recently been taken out of the starting lineup, but is excelling in his bench role.

In Hardaway's 11 games coming off the bench, he's averaging 19.1 points and shooting 48.6 percent overall and 47.3 percent from long range. For context, he's posting 17.1 points per game on 44.7 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three-point range on the season.

Hardaway is embracing his new role.

“He couldn’t have been more open minded to coming off the bench,” Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle said at a press conference last week. “He said, ‘Coach, whatever you need, whatever we need right now. We need to bust out of this thing.’ He goes, ‘Whatever you need, I’m there.’”

Below is a complete update on every former Michigan basketball player in the NBA.

Was held scoreless in 10 minutes in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies Feb. 22.

Has appeared off the bench in 28 of the Mavericks' 29 games this season, and is averaging 17 minutes per outing ... Posting 7.8 points, 1.5 assists and 1.1 rebounds per night, while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point land ... The Mavericks sit at ninth in the Western Conference with a 14-15 record.

Dropped 29 points on 9-of-14 shooting and 7-of-11 from deep, while adding four rebounds, in a win over the Grizzlies Feb. 22 ... Is averaging 19.1 points per game and shooting 47.3 percent from three-point land while coming off the bench.

Has seen action in 28 of the team's 29 contests with 17 starts ... Is averaging 17.1 points per game on 44.7 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from long range, while also contributing 3.2 boards and 1.5 assists per tilt.

Was part of the four-team blockbuster trade that saw former Houston Rockets star James Harden dealt to the Nets ... Underwent successful surgery to treat renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer ... No further treatment is needed, and LeVert, who remains out indefinitely at this point, is expected to make a full recovery ... He has now begun participating in non-contact practice drills.

Scored 13 points and added four rebounds and two steals in a loss to the Golden State Warriors Feb. 17 ... Poured in 20 points and notched three assists and two rebounds in a win over the Sacramento Kings Feb. 18 ... Posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a tight win over the Los Angeles Lakers Feb. 20 ... Hit six threes and exploded for 22 points, seven rebounds and two steals in a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder Feb. 22.

Has started all 31 games for the Miami Heat ... Averaging 13.1 points, four rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting 42.5 percent overall and 39.2 percent from long range ... His 3.3 made threes per game ranks 11th in the association ... The Heat are 14-17 on the season and 10th in the East.

Posted four points, nine rebounds and one steal while in the starting lineup in a loss to the Miami Heat Feb. 18 ... He has missed the last two games with a knee injury, and is currently not with the team while dealing with a personal matter.

Has seen action in 23 of the Sacramento Kings' 30 games (averaging 16 minutes) with two starts, while registering 5.3 points, two rebounds and 0.9 assists per contest and shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from downtown ... The Kings are 12-18 and 12th in the Western Conference.

The Wizards are now 5-0 with Wagner in the starting lineup ... Put up seven points, two assists and one rebound in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers Feb. 20 ... Notched six points, three assists, one rebound, one block and one steal in an overtime triumph over the Lakers Feb. 22.

Has appeared in 16 of the team's 26 contests this season with five starts ... Is averaging 6.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per outing in 13.6 minutes ... The Wizards are 11-17 and sit at 13th in the East.

Made 10 appearances out of 31 games so far this season, and is averaging 9.4 minutes of action ... Notching 3.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per outing, while shooting 37.8 percent from the field ... The Bucks are 18-13 and third in the Eastern Conference.

Averaging 21 points, 10.5 rebounds and three assists per game in six outings with the G-League's Westchester Knicks.

Has seen action in four NBA games this season but never for more than four minutes in a contest ... Has totaled two points, two rebounds and one assist ... In the bubble with the Westchester Knicks in the G-League season.

Posting 22.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, while shooting 51.6 percent from the field, in eight G-League games for the Santa Cruz Warriors.

Made appearances in 16 NBA games thus far, notching 5.5 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 9.5 minutes per outing, while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from long range.

Simpson has appeared in eight games for the Oklahoma City Blue, and is averaging 11.4 points, 6.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 45.7 percent overall.

Teske has played in seven games for the Lakeland Magic, and is averaging 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per night, while shooting 46.3 percent from the field.

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