Michigan Wolverines forwards Moe Wagner and D.J. Wilson are both testing the waters of the NBA Draft at the combine this week, allowing them to receive feedback from scouts that will determine if they stay in the draft or return to Michigan.
The general consensus on both? Stay in school for another year.
Wagner is viewed as a second-round pick, and NBA teams are telling him to spend another year in college The 6-foot-11, 240-pounder showed promise as a versatile big man with three-point range, but wasn't able to produce consistently.
Many point to his 26-point performance against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as his breakout game, but he scored eight points or less in six of Michigan's final nine games. NBA teams are looking for more consistent production from Wagner, as well as for him to improve this rebounding (just 4.2 per game last season, which is terrible for a post player).
For Wilson, there is a chance he could go at the end of the first round, but he is also likely a second-round pick.
The 6-foot-10, 240-pounder flashed real promise as a "3-and-D" prospect at the collegiate level last year, and his athleticism immediately jumped out every time he was on the court. However, he was also an inconsistent scoring threat. NBA teams love his potential, but if he returns to school, he could become a lottery pick in 2018 following a good senior season.
ESPN's Fran Fraschilla described the outlook for both players, saying each player needs to get stronger:
"If you take away the 26 points versus Louisville and the good game against Minnesota [17 points] late in the year, [Wagner] did not play great the rest of the postseason," he said. "Neither one of those guys is physically ready for the NBA. D.J’s really interesting because he is the quintessential 'three and D' big guy right now. He shoots threes and he has great length to defend, but even he got bullied inside. So both of those guys are not ready in my opinion to be in the NBA right now.
"D.J. could get drafted in the first round late, but he's not playing in an important NBA game for at least a couple years."
Wagner said in April that viewing the combine as more of a workout than anything else, suggesting that he is planning on returning to school. Wilson is legitimately testing the draft waters, but with the feedback he is receiving, Michigan fans should expect him back as well.
Both players have until the May 24 deadline to withdraw their names.
Wilson averaged 11.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in 30.4 minutes per game last season, while Wagner averaged 12.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per game.
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