Wagner Selected 25th Overall to Lakers, Becomes Ninth NBA Draftee in Beilein Era
6/21/2018 10:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
• Wagner Recalls Rehearsing NBA Cap-and-Handshake Ritual That's About to Become Real
BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- University of Michigan men's basketball forward Moritz Wagner was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 25th overall pick at the 2018 NBA Draft held Thursday night (June 21) at the Barclays Center.
Wagner's selection makes him the ninth Wolverine to be drafted under University of Michigan David and Meredith Kaplan men's basketball head coach John Beilein and the 59th overall in program history. Wagner becomes U-M's seventh first-round selection since 2013 under Beilein.
And what did @moritz_weasley have to say after getting selected by @Lakers #GoBlue #ProBlue pic.twitter.com/2hlXbZpiTZ
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) June 22, 2018
Overall, Wagner joins Darius Morris (2011, 41st by the Los Angeles Lakers), Trey Burke (2013, ninth by the Minnesota Timberwolves), Tim Hardaway Jr. (2013, 24th by the New York Knicks), Nik Stauskas (2014, eighth by the Sacramento Kings), Mitch McGary (2014, 21st by the Oklahoma City Thunder), Glenn Robinson III (2014, 40th by the Minnesota Timberwolves), Caris LeVert (2016, 20th by the Indiana Pacers) and D.J. Wilson (2017, 17th by the Milwaukee Bucks) as Wolverines drafted under Beilein.
During his three years with the Maize and Blue, Wagner started 77 of 107 games, helping the Wolverines to an 82-33 record, back-to-back Big Ten Tournament titles (2017 & 2018) and a trip to 2018 Final Four and national title game. He closed his career ranked 44th all-time with 1,114 points was just 16 rebounds away from joining U-M's 500-rebound club (484).
Following a breakout sophomore season, Wagner continued his upward path leading U-M in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (7.1). His 278 rebounds were the most by a Wolverine since the late Robert Traylor had 344 during the 1997-98 season -- 20 seasons ago. He was third on the Wolverines with 63 three-pointers -- the most by any player 6-foot-10 or taller in the nation.
U-M has eight players currently active in the NBA: Burke (New York Knicks), Jamal Crawford (Minnesota Timberwolves), Hardaway (New York Knicks), LeVert (Brooklyn Nets), Robinson (Indiana Pacers), Stauskas (Brooklyn Nets), Derrick Walton Jr. (Miami Heat) and Wilson (Milwaukee Bucks).
Michigan & the NBA Draft
• Michigan has had 59 players selected in the NBA Draft.
• Michigan has had seven first-round selections since 2013 and 27 total.
• Since 1988, U-M has had 18 of its last 26 players chosen in the first round.
A hug for @JohnBeilein from @moritz_weasley — the newest @Lakers#MichiganFamily #GoBlue ????#ProBlue pic.twitter.com/zQjZXtkTq8
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) June 22, 2018
