The Memphis Grizzlies weren’t thought of as a team that was going to make a big splash in the 2020 NBA Draft. Immediately after, it still didn’t seem like they had done much.
Fast forward through the 2020-21 season and you’ve got an entirely different story.
The Grizzlies’ two picks, one at the 30th spot and the other at the 36th spot, were both among the best value picks in the league. As a result, the hype is beginning to build around the Grizzlies’ 2021 first-round pick, which will come at the 17th overall spot in this year’s draft.
Right now, Memphis has a couple of primary needs that will be the main driving force behind this pick. The first of those needs is shooting, an area that Memphis had an underwhelming season in during the 2020-21 year. The second is defending, and more specifically, perimeter defending.
Michigan’s Franz Wagner fits the Memphis Grizzlies prototype NBA Draft pick perfectly
Did somebody say perimeter defending and strong 3-point shooting? Look no further than Franz Wagner, a German forward out of the University of Michigan.
At Michigan, Wagner was an extremely well-rounded player. Notably, he’s generally remembered for his ability to consistently shoot 3-pointers. Wagner’s shooting numbers are not friendly to him, but anybody who has watched him play knows that he can knock down threes. His percentages are unimpressive due to the fact that he shot as a high volume. When he cut his shot attempts per game, his conversion percentage skyrocketed by 3%.
Even more notably, he was an elite defender at the college level. For some reason, draft experts continue to diminish his defensive ability and pump up his shooting capabilities. In my eyes, he’s a defender first and a shooter second.
In his 2020-21 season at Michigan, Wagner recorded 1.3 steals and 1 block per game, solidifying himself as his team’s best defender. He plays smart on defense, as he doesn’t have the athletic tools that some other players do.
That said, at 6-9, Wagner is oversized for a player who is considered a guard, so this could help the issue of the Grizzlies having too many shooting guards. Wagner could fill into a similar role as Dillon Brooks, where he slides between the two and the three as an oversized guard.
In all likelihood, Wagner will be off the board when the Grizzlies’ 17th overall pick comes around. That said, if he’s still hanging around, Memphis should pull the trigger.