He arrived from Germany in 2015 with his Dirk Nowtizki poster and a dream. And on April 14, 2018, Moe Wagner turned that dream into a reality as he declared for the NBA Draft with an agent. There is no turning back for the Ann Arbor fan favorite. Getting there was a different story.
From Berlin to Ann Arbor:
John Beilein had to see him live. Coach Beilein had been put on to Moe Wagner by a German coaching friend and he had to check him out himself. Wagner himself had been put on to Michigan basketball even before then. The first college basketball game he had ever seen was the National Championship game between Michigan and Louisville in 2013. Just five years later, Wagner would be playing for that team he once watched on his iPad in the National Championship too. As if he were a spy on a secret mission, Beilein flew into Berlin secretly for a day. Get in, meet the Wagners, get out. That was the plan to meet Wagner. He did this, Moe visited Michigan in March, and it seemed love at first sight. "I kind of felt home in Ann Arbor on my visit," Moe said as told by the Washington Post. He was a Michigan Wolverine.
That first season was interesting. I personally remember that first exhibition game against Le Moyne. I thought that would be the only chance to get to see the German that season. He was tall, skinny, and lanky. He played eleven minutes that day, scoring four points. I'd heard rumors that he would likely redshirt and could see why that may be the case; his 6'11" frame was incredibly lean. He even mentions having a conversation with Caris LeVert in his Players Tribune article that left Moe saying "Heck no, I'm not tryna redshirt."
By the end of that season, Michigan fans were glad he didn't redshirt. The center position had been a sort of revolving door for the Wolverines. Moe gave everyone a glimpse at his potential in games against Charlotte in the Bahamas, or North Carolina State in a tough road win, but as Big Ten play rolled around, his minutes were at a premium. He didn't even play in six games that season, he did not start a single one. But postseason play provided the hope Michigan fans craved. He played 23 minutes in the 'First Four' victory over Tulsa. He provided a boost against Notre Dame and, despite that game's unfortunate end, it left Michigan fans feeling optimistic about the future.
Big Man on Campus:
Moe took that next step for the next season. He was the starter and provided a three-point game to his arsenal that was always present, but rarely showcased. It was never more present than the home game that season against Purdue. With Purdue's two-headed big man monster of Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas, not many teams won inside. However, neither man could take Wagner on the perimeter, and Moe made them pay to the tune of 24 points in 27 minutes in front of the Ann Arbor faithful in a huge win. If there was ever a "break-out moment" for Moe, that was it.
Of course, if that was his Michigan break-out, his national showcase was in the NCAA Tournament against Louisville. Michigan had been experimenting with a smaller line-up throughout postseason play with D.J. Wilson at the five. This, against teams like Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament and Oklahoma State in the first round paid massive dividends, especially against Oklahoma State where Michigan seemingly could not miss. Louisville, however, was his turn to showcase his skill. Wagner absolutely dominated the inside with 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting, almost all on the inside. Wagner could have gone to the NBA with Wilson after this performance, but he chose to stick around. What a choice that was for the Wolverines.
Wagner provided the Michigan faithful with a plethora of memorable moments in his junior year. Who could forget Wagner making Nick Ward fall to the floor at the Breslin Center? Or how about how he got the crowd fired up after he dove for a loose ball on senior night against Ohio State? Of course, there were also his heroics throughout the first half of the Final Four game against Loyola as he near single-handedly kept the Wolverines within striking range in the half. Nothing about his game was quiet, as a junior leader, that was only more evident out of the big man.
End of the Road:
Unfortunately for Michigan fans, Moe will not be back for a senior season. I, however, feel more proud than anything and am not disappointed whatsoever. Any Michigan fan knows how much Wagner loved wearing that maize and blue jersey every game. He put his heart on the court and time-after-time inspired fans to cheer as passionately as he played. I would have loved to see him play one more year, but seeing Moe in the NBA will make me, and plenty of other Michigan fans, smile just as much. He is no longer just the skinny kid from Berlin that was a three-year project. His work has been completed here in Ann Arbor. It's time to chase a dream.
Tweet me @RMABTweets if you liked this article and want more. I am including a link to Moe's Player Tribune article as well as the Washington Post article. Both are worth reading.
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/moe-wagner-thank-you-michigan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/john-beilein-recruited-moritz-wagner-to-michigan-over-a-big-german-dinner-and-a-beer/2018/03/29/4e556258-31d6-11e8-94fa-32d48460b955_story.html?utm_term=.fc96d5776484
From Berlin to Ann Arbor:
John Beilein had to see him live. Coach Beilein had been put on to Moe Wagner by a German coaching friend and he had to check him out himself. Wagner himself had been put on to Michigan basketball even before then. The first college basketball game he had ever seen was the National Championship game between Michigan and Louisville in 2013. Just five years later, Wagner would be playing for that team he once watched on his iPad in the National Championship too. As if he were a spy on a secret mission, Beilein flew into Berlin secretly for a day. Get in, meet the Wagners, get out. That was the plan to meet Wagner. He did this, Moe visited Michigan in March, and it seemed love at first sight. "I kind of felt home in Ann Arbor on my visit," Moe said as told by the Washington Post. He was a Michigan Wolverine.
That first season was interesting. I personally remember that first exhibition game against Le Moyne. I thought that would be the only chance to get to see the German that season. He was tall, skinny, and lanky. He played eleven minutes that day, scoring four points. I'd heard rumors that he would likely redshirt and could see why that may be the case; his 6'11" frame was incredibly lean. He even mentions having a conversation with Caris LeVert in his Players Tribune article that left Moe saying "Heck no, I'm not tryna redshirt."
By the end of that season, Michigan fans were glad he didn't redshirt. The center position had been a sort of revolving door for the Wolverines. Moe gave everyone a glimpse at his potential in games against Charlotte in the Bahamas, or North Carolina State in a tough road win, but as Big Ten play rolled around, his minutes were at a premium. He didn't even play in six games that season, he did not start a single one. But postseason play provided the hope Michigan fans craved. He played 23 minutes in the 'First Four' victory over Tulsa. He provided a boost against Notre Dame and, despite that game's unfortunate end, it left Michigan fans feeling optimistic about the future.
Big Man on Campus:
Moe took that next step for the next season. He was the starter and provided a three-point game to his arsenal that was always present, but rarely showcased. It was never more present than the home game that season against Purdue. With Purdue's two-headed big man monster of Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas, not many teams won inside. However, neither man could take Wagner on the perimeter, and Moe made them pay to the tune of 24 points in 27 minutes in front of the Ann Arbor faithful in a huge win. If there was ever a "break-out moment" for Moe, that was it.
Of course, if that was his Michigan break-out, his national showcase was in the NCAA Tournament against Louisville. Michigan had been experimenting with a smaller line-up throughout postseason play with D.J. Wilson at the five. This, against teams like Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament and Oklahoma State in the first round paid massive dividends, especially against Oklahoma State where Michigan seemingly could not miss. Louisville, however, was his turn to showcase his skill. Wagner absolutely dominated the inside with 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting, almost all on the inside. Wagner could have gone to the NBA with Wilson after this performance, but he chose to stick around. What a choice that was for the Wolverines.
Wagner provided the Michigan faithful with a plethora of memorable moments in his junior year. Who could forget Wagner making Nick Ward fall to the floor at the Breslin Center? Or how about how he got the crowd fired up after he dove for a loose ball on senior night against Ohio State? Of course, there were also his heroics throughout the first half of the Final Four game against Loyola as he near single-handedly kept the Wolverines within striking range in the half. Nothing about his game was quiet, as a junior leader, that was only more evident out of the big man.
End of the Road:
Unfortunately for Michigan fans, Moe will not be back for a senior season. I, however, feel more proud than anything and am not disappointed whatsoever. Any Michigan fan knows how much Wagner loved wearing that maize and blue jersey every game. He put his heart on the court and time-after-time inspired fans to cheer as passionately as he played. I would have loved to see him play one more year, but seeing Moe in the NBA will make me, and plenty of other Michigan fans, smile just as much. He is no longer just the skinny kid from Berlin that was a three-year project. His work has been completed here in Ann Arbor. It's time to chase a dream.
Tweet me @RMABTweets if you liked this article and want more. I am including a link to Moe's Player Tribune article as well as the Washington Post article. Both are worth reading.
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/moe-wagner-thank-you-michigan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/john-beilein-recruited-moritz-wagner-to-michigan-over-a-big-german-dinner-and-a-beer/2018/03/29/4e556258-31d6-11e8-94fa-32d48460b955_story.html?utm_term=.fc96d5776484
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