Wilson thrilled about Michigan’s Final Four run
OAKLAND, Calif. - On Monday, the Milwaukee Bucks will find themselves at home for the first time after spending eight nights on the West Coast. Rookie D.J. Wilson is hoping he'll have the opportunity to spend one additional night away from Milwaukee, though.
Depending on what happens on Saturday, he hopes to have the chance to watch his former team, the Michigan Wolverines, play for a national championship. Michigan plays upstart Loyola of Chicago in the opening game of the Final Four on Saturday in San Antonio with the NCAA championship game scheduled for Monday night.
“They gonna win it all. You heard it here first," Wilson said. “When they make it to Monday night I might make a little trip down there, I might. We’ll see.”
Wilson, who opted for the NBA draft this summer after three seasons at Michigan, is enjoying every aspect of the Wolverines' Final Four run. He talks to his former teammates — some still on the team and others that have also moved on — every day in a group text chat, sharing in their excitement and appreciating their success from afar.
While he is enjoying Michigan's current run, Wilson says there isn't any part of him that wishes he was going through it with the Wolverines in what would have been his senior season. He got a good taste of the NCAA Tournament last year, he says, helping Michigan to the Sweet 16.
As for his former teammates, do they ever express any "wish you were here" sentiments in their group chat?
“Nah, they’re happy for me; they know I made the right decision," Wilson said. "It’s just great to see them out there having success and making it further than we did last year.”
During Michigan's March to remember, Wilson has logged all of one minute in one game for the Bucks this month. Over the course of his rookie season, Wilson has appeared in 21 games playing 69 minutes and scored 19 points. He also played 11 games with the G League's Wisconsin Herd, averaging 15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 32.5 minutes per game.
The lack of playing time hasn't put up damper on his spirits, though, as he nears the completion of his first professional season.
“I’m in a good place right now," Wilson said. "I’m learning a lot even while not playing a whole lot of minutes. It’s more mental than anything. The vets stay in my ear, they teach me a lot about the game on and off the court. When my number is called I’m for sure going to be ready.”