NBA: Wagner about Dirk: “He was my Michal Jordan”

The German draft hope Moritz Wagner has explained why he has advantages over the “competition” in the workouts. He also talked about his move to the USA and his idol Dirk Nowitzki.

“It’s great fun,” Wagner said in an interview with USA Today about the many workouts before the NBA draft, which takes place on June 22. “I have an advantage over the newcomer because I was there last year and I know what to expect. And I know clearly this year what I want – which was different in 2017 when I was still undecided about my future.”

When predicting what kind of NBA player he could develop into, he didn’t want to get involved: “I don’t worry about that. Because one thing I learned from Michigan and especially from Coach John Beilein is this: You can’t skip any step of your development. That’s why I always focus on this next step.”

As usual, Wagner was also asked about the comparisons of his person with Dirk Nowitzki. “I am equally flattered and shocked every time my name is mentioned in the same breath as his. Because Dirk is my MJ! I had his poster on my wall, which motivated me every day. I often thought, “If he made it, why wouldn’t I make it?”

Wagner moved from Alba Berlin to the US College in 2015 to join the Michigan Wolverines. As a junior he put on 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds last season. He also reached the final of the March Madness, where his team was clearly defeated by the Villanova Wildcats.

About his move from Germany to the States at the time, he said: “This helped me a lot because I had to learn early to take care of myself. That starts with your mother not taking care of you 24/7. On the other hand, it’s a big challenge to find your way around a whole new country.”