The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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56 THE WOLVERINE ❱ APRIL 2025 ❱ MICHIGAN IN THE PROS There are plenty of examples of Wag- ner being a defensive catalyst for Or- lando, with one of the most recent being his defense on Milwaukee Bucks star guard Damian Lillard's game-winning three-point shot attempt that missed March 8. The 111-109 victory snapped a five-game Magic losing streak. "I thought he was incredible," Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said of Wag- ner's defensive performance. "He takes on that challenge, guarding some of the team's best players and not backing down, and then being asked to do the task on the offensive end as well. You can't say enough about what he does." FORMER WOLVERINES IN THE NBA Through March 16 • Kobe Bufkin (2021-23), G, Atlanta Hawks: Un- derwent season-ending shoulder surgery Jan. 7 … Appeared in just 10 games on the season. • Moussa Diabate (2021-22), F, Charlotte Hor- nets: After playing in 33 NBA games in his first two seasons, he's appeared in 58 contests with eight starts this year … Averaging 5.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in 18 minutes per night, shooting 58.5 percent from the field (all twos) … Put up 16 points and 15 rebounds in a 105-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets March 8 … The Hornets are 17-50, standing 14th of 15 teams in the East. • Tim Hardaway Jr. (2010-13), G, Detroit Pistons: Started all 64 outings in which he's appeared for the 37-31 Pistons, who are sixth in the East … Reg- istering 10.5 points, 2.4 boards and 1.6 assists per clash … Connecting on 40.1 percent of his overall shots and 36 percent of his three-pointers. • Caleb Houstan (2021-22), G, Orlando Magic: Recording 3.2 points in 11.6 minutes per game in 45 appearances with five starts for the 32-37 Magic … Shooting 36.7 percent from the field, including a 35.5 percent mark from three-point distance. • Jett Howard (2022-23), G, Orlando Magic: Has seen action in 55 games off the bench, averaging 4.1 points and 1.2 rebounds per night … Shooting 35.7 percent overall and 29.5 percent on threes. • Caris LeVert (2012-16), G/F, Atlanta Hawks: Traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Atlanta Hawks Feb. 6 … Saw time in 38 games with three starts for the Cavs, averaging 10.2 points per game … Took on an even bigger role in Atlanta, register- ing 16.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per clash, with 14 bench appearances … Missed two- consecutive games with a knee injury. • Jordan Poole (2017-19), G, Washington Wiz- ards: Opened all 56 games in which he's appeared for the 15-51 Wizards … Leads the squad with 21 points and 4.7 assists per game, adding 3.3 re- bounds and 1.4 steals … Poole shoots 42.4 percent from the field, including a career-best 37.7 from beyond the arc … His 3.8 made threes per game are the second-highest mark in his career, trail- ing the 2022-23 campaign with the Golden State Warriors (4.4). • Duncan Robinson (2014-18), F, Miami Heat: Appeared in 64 outings with 32 starts for the 29- 38 Heat … Putting up 11 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds per clash, connecting on 43.1 percent of his shots from the field … He's made 38.5 percent of his three-pointers and has had five games with 3-plus makes from distance through mid-March. • Franz Wagner (2019-21), F, Orlando Magic: Second on the team with 24.3 points per game, shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 29.9 percent from three-point range … Posting 5.6 re- bounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game, all career-high marks. • Moritz Wagner (2015-18), C, Orlando Magic: Tore his ACL in December, underwent successful surgery and will miss the remainder of the season … Played in 30 games with one start, averaging a career-high 12.9 points per game on 56.2 per- cent shooting from the floor prior to suffering the injury. FORMER WOLVERINES IN THE NHL: FIVE STARS OF THE MONTH Through March 16 • Kyle Connor (2015-16), LW, Winnipeg Jets: He found the back of the net twice in a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars March 15, marking his 45th career multigoal game. He's now within one of tying Ilya Kovalchuk (46) for the second-most in franchise history, behind only teammate Mark Scheifele. Connor is putting together another stellar season, posting 85 points to rank fifth in the league. He has 36 goals and 49 assists for the 47-17-4 Jets, who are first in the Central Division. • Quinn Hughes (2017-19), D, Vancouver Can- ucks: According to DraftKings Sportsbook, he has the third-best odds (+4000) to win the Nor- ris Trophy, presented to the NHL's top defense- man. He stands behind only Colorado's Cale Makar (-330) and fellow former Wolverine Zach Werenski (+250). Hughes is third among NHL defensemen with 63 points (16 goals, 47 assists), playing a key role for the 31-25-11 Canucks. • Dylan Larkin (2014-15), C, Detroit Red Wings: One of the heroes of Team USA's incredible 3-1 victory over Canada in the round robin portion of the Four Nations Face-Off, Larkin earned a lot of goodwill not only from Red Wings fans but the sport as a whole while showing out on the world stage. The 32-29-6 Red Wings are in the hunt for their first playoff berth since 2016, and Larkin has been one of the team's top players. He's scored 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) to rank second on the squad in all three categories. • Mackie Samoskevich (2021-23), D, Florida Panthers: The 24th overall draft pick in 2021 was recently moved to the Panthers' power-play unit, and he's been delivering, highlighted by a goal off a rebound in a 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets March 6. He's scored 4 goals and added 3 assists while taking 22 shots in eight games in March, helping his team to a 5-3 record. That outburst came after only scoring two goals in four games played in the month of February. • Zach Werenski (2014-16), D, Columbus Blue Jackets: He has the second-best odds to win the Norris Trophy and is second among NHL defen- semen and first among Blue Jacket skaters with 69 points (20 goals, 49 assists). He recently set a franchise record for the most points by a defender in a season (59) and is now well past that. He also passed Rick Nash earlier this month for the most career assists in Blue Jackets history (260). ❑ Jourdan Lewis • NFL The veteran defensive back signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Jack- sonville Jaguars in free agency. Lewis spent his first eight seasons in the league with the Dallas Cowboys, who drafted him in the third round in 2017. Ben Bredeson • NFL The offensive lineman agreed to a three-year, $22 million contract with $12.5 million guaranteed to remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was in his first year with the team, starting at left guard, after playing for the New York Giants from 2021-23 and Baltimore Ravens in his rookie year in 2020. J.J. McCarthy • NFL Entering his second season in the NFL, McCarthy — a first-round pick who missed his rookie season with a knee injury — is likely going to be the Minnesota Vikings' starting quarterback, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Last year's starter, Sam Darnold, recently signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent. — Clayton Sayfie HEADLINERS Former Michigan athletes in the news this month