Franz to the NBA
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/franz-wagner-michigan-basketball-ncaa-nba
What a great letter from Franz. He will get his wish, his legacy will always be a part of Michigan basketball.
Plus, I mean, if Moe can play in the league — obviously they’ll take anyone.
Haha. Good shit, Franz! Best of luck in the NBA!
Wow, what an incredibly eloquent, gracious letter. Sets the standard for goodbyes. Thanks for posting.
It's incredible that a kid whose native language is not English could write such elegant prose that are far superior to that of the average MSU student.
I have found most Germans I have been in contact with seem to speak and write English better than we do...
With English being a Germanic root language, English is typically pretty easy for Germans to pick up. Quite a few similar words/concepts and English doesn’t use that pesky masculine/feminine form.
Isn’t “prose” singular? Franz would never make that mistake! (Sorry—I couldn’t resist.)
So is "a lot" and yet people relentlessly say "there are a lot..."
It's the noun that follows the quantifier that determines whether a singular or plural verb is used. And "a lot of" is an unusual, informal quantifier that can be used with countable and uncountable nouns. So "there are a lot of people in the room" is grammatically correct, as is "there is a lot of water in the basement."
A great letter. I'd intended to make some joke about him leaving but his thoughts and feelings, so well expressed, turned my intention. (Plus, his joke about Moe was too good to try to top.)
Congratulations and thanks to him. He did good.
Congratulations too to his parents. They did good.
Man! I have loved Franz as a player, but this shows what kind of person he is. Simply beautiful letter. Great player, but amazing person. Wish him all the best with his NBA and personal future.
His defense will be missed! Good luck to him in the NBA.
It never ceases to amaze me how fast time goes with these players. We all follow their recruitment so closely, then they are done. Best of luck, Franz!
Franz is a bit exceptional in that COVID wiped out one of the two tournaments we should have had with him and the Livers injury damped our prospects this year.
One of the nice things about Juwan's excellent, continuous roster building is that happiness for Franz and players like him is no longer dampened by dread of what comes next for Michigan. There's real liberty in just being joyful for him.
No surprise the B1G’s best defender is leaving. What an awesome player he was for these two years. Go Blue!
What a gift the Wagner's have been to Michigan Basketball. Thank you - and may you never have to buy a beer in Ann Arbor ever again.
Again? He's never bought a beer in Ann Arbor EVER - kid is still only 19 years old! (born August 2001)
*never legally bought a beer in Ann Arbor
While I was a student, I saw plenty of football and basketball players who were not 21 drinking adult beverages at watering holes throughout Ann Arbor
THANK YOU FRANZ
Really nice letter, and Mom should be incredibly proud. Raised two kids the best way possible and now both of them will the playing in the NBA. Does she have any more kids? Maybe nephews? We need more Wagners!
All the Glasgows and Wagners are belong to us
Good luck to him in the NBA. The physical improvements he made between his 2 years was incredible. That was such a good read and he's right, the program is in great hands. Sad for this news but excited for the future.
I’ve been dreading this day
He always reminded me of a more athletic Gordon Hayward.
Good luck to him. I hope finds success in the NBA.
Thanks for the B1G championship Franz!
10+ year NBA career ahead of him.
That's just the way the ball dribbles. I think most of us would have loved to see him develop for another year but who ever is advising him (and it could be his mom) is telling him that the NBA wants him.
I hope he has tremendous success in the pros.
Franz for the win. Wishing him all the best.
His letter got me misty.
So happy to have had you here!
Go kick some ass!!!
GO BLUE!!!
Go get paid young man, thanks for the memories.
1 Big Ten Championship
1 Elite Eight
Big Ten All-Freshman Team
All-Big Ten Team
Probably a first round pick
Cool parents
He's accomplished more than most men do in a lifetime. Tschüß, Franz, and thank you.
You forgot one: Moe's little brother.
And tschüss. Viel Glück.
Most important recruit to bridge the Beilein to Howard era. Hope for a long and healthy career.
Orlando could take him with the pick they got from the Bulls this year. Then, there could potentially be three UM players on that team, assuming Moe and Iggy stick around.
This is probably one of the highest quality exit letters I have read. Well done.
Tear it up, Franz! Will be keeping an eye on your game in the Association! Sad to see you go, but really excited for you at the same time. Best if luck and Go Blue! ??
This kid has, indeed, grown up before us. The improvements we saw in his game this last season were tremendous! And you can't grow on the court if you're not growing as a person off the court. It was a pleasure to watch him!
"...because it felt like I let everybody down. Most of all our seniors. One missed shot by me … and their Michigan careers were over, just like that."
This is sad to read - no single person ever sinks or elevates a team. Sure, they can play a bigger part than others, but it's a team. Franz missing the last shot had the same effect on the game's outcome as one of the shots Eli missed in the first half, as one of the free throws Smith missed midway through the second, as a free layup allowed by Dickenson. Franz did not lose that game, nor did he end a seniors career. Team sport results are a collection of plays over the whole course of the game, not any one single play.
Good luck, Franz.
Thanks for the memories ?
Remarkable. Best wishes in all that comes, Franz.
It was so interesting, waiting for Franz to get here before his freshman year, to see what kind of player and person he'd be. Moe was such a clutch player with an all-world personality. You couldn't help but love him. That was a lot for Franz to live up to.
But comparisons aren't fair. Moe captured our hearts with his clutch shots, by breaking Ward's ankles, but mainly with his infectious smile and huge personality. Franz is different. He's so much more business-like and intense than Moe. He stole our hearts the way he stole errant passes with those long arms of his. He was so intuitive on offense and defense, so many times anticipating plays and being in the right place at the right time. His lockdown defense was special. And when he was on offensively, he could take over a game.
What a blessing we've had to get to know the Wagners the last few years, all due to a clandestine trip to Germany by John Beilein.
Thank you, Franz, for the memories.
This is the toughest part of being a college sports fan. The players you love come and go far too quickly. Franz made the right decision, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I selfishly wanted him back another year. Best of luck in the league Franz!
Going to miss Franz!
An incredible, and sometimes a bit frustrating, player to watch because he was such a complete player, but had a few clunkers at the wrong time... and he hesitated too much on open threes.
That said, great kid, going to be one of my all time favorite Michigan players.
I'll be cheering for him in the NBA - hope my Raptors land him :)
Seems like an inappropriate time to point out his mistakes. I suspect most people make a mistake occasionally.
The evolution of Franz was something special to watch...the fact that he’s made himself into a lottery pick in 2 short years is amazing! I for one am going to miss his defensive presence he brought to the floor every night.
Guys like T. Will/Jace may have to step up more next season. They are the only big wings we have on the roster besides Houstan.
Who is advising him?