ANN ARBOR -- Can he shoot like his brother?
That’s the question Michigan fans will be asking as Germany’s Franz Wagner, the younger brother of former U-M star Moritz, reportedly considers whether -- and where -- he will play college basketball next season.
According to a report from The Michigan Insider, Michigan head coach John Beilein will visit the younger Wagner in Germany sometime this week.
In a press conference last week, Beilein hinted at a busy recruiting schedule. “If you knew my schedule -- I can’t tell you my schedule -- the next month, the next 10 days, it’s absolutely incredible,” he said, “of how we’ve got to go out there and be in position to be in position.”
He did not mention Wagner specifically, but that is standard procedure. Coaches are limited in what they can say publicly about players who have not yet signed a letter of intent, and Beilein has always been especially cautious in this area.
Wagner, who won’t turn 18 until late August, is a 6-foot-7 wing who plays for Alba Berlin, a highly regarded professional team. Those who have scouted him mention his scoring ability, specifically his outside shooting.
As an uncommitted international prospect, Wagner is not rated by any recruiting sites. But 247sports noted he would be a "relatively high four-star recruit." Wagner averaged 10.6 minutes per game for Alba Berlin last season, according to eurobasket.com, shooting 14-for-29 (48 percent) from 3.
In a story posted to 247sports.com on March 5, Wagner was quoted as saying he wasn't sure if he'd stay in Germany or play college ball. The site lists Michigan, Butler, and Stanford as the interested schools.
Wagner’s older brother led Michigan to the 2018 national championship game as a junior. “Moe,” a 6-foot-11 center, was taken in the first round of the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He appeared in 43 games as a rookie this past season, averaging 4.8 points per game.
Whether the younger Wagner follows his brother to Michigan -- or even to the United States -- remains to be seen.
Beilein’s interest stems from Michigan’s roster uncertainty. Should either Ignas Brazdeikis or Jordan Poole keep his name in the NBA draft and not return to school, Michigan would have an open scholarship for next season. Charles Matthews is gone for sure; the Wolverines could lose another starter or two. Adding a player like Wagner, who has had success at a high level of professional basketball, could help alleviate the potential departures.
Beilein often told the story of his recruitment of Moritz, about how he flew to Berlin in the middle of Michigan's season. Not wanting to tip off anyone about the unheralded prospect, he tried to be discreet but was spotted at the airport by Michigan fans.
This time, it appears his trip has been exposed in advance.