OKC Thunder NBA draft profile: Franz Wagner the versatile forward

Franz Wagner strengths and weaknesses

Strengths:

Wagner enters the pros at an ideal time for a player of his size as he can be plugged in as a large shooting guard, a good-sized small forward, or as a small-ball power forward.

His body should also afford him an easy transition from college to the NBA (6’9″, 220 pounds). Wagner fits the modern era game with the ability to check off many boxes as a decent rebounder, the ability to stretch the floor but equal aptitude at scoring in the paint.

Although his 3-point percentage was far from ideal (34.3 percent), he improved in his second season with Michigan. His 83.5 percent free-throw efficiency offers optimism for future improvements from behind the arc.

Like many of his European counterparts, he developed a full range of fundamental skillsets in his youth providing him with great playmaking attributes for a forward.

Wagner is capable of defending two through four and has the speed and size to guard a point guard or center if necessary. That’s a major asset that will garner big checkmarks from drafting teams.  Factor in the skills he learned under defensive coaching master John Beilein in his two years at Michigan and put another check beside his name.

Weaknesses:

Considering how many boxes he checks off in terms of being a team asset there are specific limitations especially when it comes to creating for himself. While he’s adept at moving the ball and is an intelligent passer when he receives the ball in the mid-range it exposes his clumsy handle.

His prowess at scoring once in the paint could also be less effective when he faces bigger bodies at the pro level. To offset this he’ll need to develop the ability to score with either hand as opponents will simply play him to shoot or sit on his right hand in the paint. Likewise, he’ll need to add to the variety of ways he scores because he’s not a particularly athletic player with leaping power.

For all the little things he does well he’s not a great offensive rebounder but given his high I.Q. improving in this area may be simply a matter of working with coaches to figure out better positioning in the paint.