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Wagner is a much better defender than he gets credit for. The only negative about his driving ability is that he does not get to the free-throw line very often, averaging 2.8 FTA per game. This season, Wagner led Michigan with 46 total drives and shot 52 percent within seven feet of the basket, he made 62 percent of his attempts, displaying the ability to finish with either hand. As a driver, he is more effective going right and lacks nifty moves, but that didn’t prevent him from being efficient, partially due to being opportunistic, and also due to good ball security.

His catch-and-shoot attempts (67) were more than double his off-the-bounce attempts (32), showing that he is not entirely comfortable putting the ball on the floor and shooting. Using side-steps and turnaround fade-aways, the sophomore was very effective shooting off the dribble this season, ranking at 82nd percentile for PPP, but he is not proficient with pull-ups and step-backs. Isolation plays accounted for just three percent of his possessions this season. His handle is solid, but he is not overly dynamic or explosive off the bounce. Wagner is not elite in terms of shot-creation. There are plenty of point guards who do not have as good of an A/T ratio as Wagner, and with him being 6-foot-9, this will definitely help him at the next level. He posted an assist/turnover ratio of 2.32 as a sophomore, which was outstanding for a guy who was not a primary playmaker. Featuring nice vision and the ability to make quick reads, he is a very good playmaker, especially off dribble penetration. Wagner’s most attractive offensive quality is his ability to be a triple threat. Eight play types accounted for at least three percent of his offense this season, and his percentiles for PPP ranged from 94th via post-ups to 55th in isolation. The majority of his offense this season came from either spot-up plays (33% of his possessions) and as a handler in the pick-and-roll (22% of his possessions), and he ranked above the 60th percentile for points per possession (PPP) in both categories. He is able to score inside and out, off the bounce, and off the catch. Wagner is a “jack of all trades,” and what makes him a high-level prospect is that he has no glaring weaknesses - he is basically no worse than average at anything. Wagner only put up four shots a game for his international career, but having the experience of playing against professionals will only help Wagner in his transition to the NBA. Franz Wagner played about 11 minutes a game as a 17-year-old on a team that included former NBA first-round pick Jordan Crawford, former Louisville point guard Peyton Siva, and former Wolverine Derrick Walton Jr. Wagner also has some international experience under his belt, playing in 67 games, 58 of which were for Alba Berlin, a team that his brother (Moritz) also played for. He also contributed 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game over the same span.

In his two seasons as a Wolverine, Wagner averaged just over 12 points per game, shooting 46.5 percent from the field, 32.5 percent from three, and 83.5 percent from the free-throw line. His all-around production earned him a spot on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2020, and in 2021, he was All-Big Ten Second-Team selection (Coaches) and an AP All-American Honorable Mention. His net rating of 30.5 (the difference between offense and defense) was the fourth best in the conference. Though his raw numbers may not show it, Wagner truly flourished as a sophomore, finishing third in the Big Ten with a plus-minus rating of 11.9 (fifth best in the country), while also finishing among the top four in the conference for both offensive rating (121.8) and defensive rating (91.3). He is versatile on both ends of the floor, and he has a high basketball IQ. Franz Wagner does a little bit of everything, and is the type of prospect who could be a role player right away for many NBA teams.