Wagner’s sophomore season repeated the good form that got him to the All-Rookie First Team last year. The 6-foot-10 wing averaged 20.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 59.4 percent from the field (.490/.353/.860). Despite taking on heavier offensive responsibilities, his true shooting percentage was 1.7 points above league average (minus-0.7 last season), and he’s acting like a guy who really deserves All-Star consideration…
In one game last month, Franz Wagner scored 14 points in 22 minutes on 12 shots. And led the Orlando Magic to a 109-106 victory once morest the Portland Trail Blazers with 20 shots and 29 points in the final game.
In the first three quarters, Wagner mainly played his influence by running without the ball, and continued to look for opportunities to attack with the ball. He played an important role in the half-court offense with multiple air cuts and transitions. With the advent of the fourth quarter, he jumped out to become the magic team’s key scorer, scoring three-pointers with three flexible breakthroughs and a jumper. In addition, he also made up for an open three-pointer and a layup. Throughout the night, he showed off his offensive versatility, allowing him to fit in any lineup.
“He understands his role in different situations,” head coach Jahmal Mosley said.
The Magic have a lot of young players who need or deserve the investment on the ball and are the best fits for this use, like other starters like Banchero or Fultz. When they have the ball, Wagner can move into a support role and continue to have his value.
When the team needed him to hold the ball to break up the Trail Blazers offense, he might effortlessly run the pick-and-roll from 25 feet from the basket to great effect.
According to Synergy, he leads the league in the 71 percentest pick-and-roll offense and 79 percent on the cut. In addition, he was able to hit 44 percent of his long-distance catch-and-shoot shots. Wagner’s scoring approach is invaluable to Wagner himself, his teammates, and the Magic’s tactical options.
“Franz’s presence is very helpful to the game. When the ball is in his hands, the flow of the ball will not stop. And he will find the right way to play.” Mosley said. “In those situations, his teammates trust him to make the right play, whether it’s in the pick-and-roll, or in the backdoor play that you can see, reading and understanding the defense to help the team.”
Wagner’s sophomore season repeated the good form that got him to the All-Rookie First Team last year. The 6-foot-10 wing averaged 20.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 59.4 percent from the field (.490/.353/.860). Despite taking on heavier offensive responsibilities, his true shooting percentage was 1.7 points above league average (minus-0.7 last season), and he’s behaving like a guy who truly deserves All-Star consideration.
According to Cleaning The Class, his usage rate has risen from 20.8 percent to 24.7 percent, while his unassisted field goal percentage has risen from 41 percent to 52 percent. Most notably, he made better use of his size to play a more confrontational game inside the three-point line and continued to build on his skill set with his deft footwork and finishing touch.
Last year, he shot 60 percent at the rim (lower 24 percent in the league). This year, he’s shooting 67 percent (top 71 percent in the league). He likes to use the Eurostep and two-handed floater, can score on long-handed rim protectors, and get the ball into the rim with the backboard at odd angles. His breakthrough has an elusive nature, and his use of angles and finishing methods is also very precise.
“I’m looking at the defender’s feet and hips, and a lot of times I’m challenging a bigger defender and trying to get them to move side to side,” Wagner said. “At the rim, I think my height gives me a lot of advantages. A lot of big guys aren’t used to laying up over guys my size. I think it helps me score around the rim.”
For Wagner’s size, he has great utility and rare flexibility. He can duck down to avoid defenders’ pressure and move through tight areas. During the multiple practice rounds before that game once morest the Trail Blazers, while most of his teammates were warming up for various jump shots, free throws and layups, Wagner was doing various stretches on the other side.
He continues to work on his footwork, quickly using both feet to hop back and forth to get the ball within reach. The detail of his game is top notch, and it shows how quickly he came into the league as a player who might do whatever he wanted with the ball.
“For most guys, it takes a while to learn how to handle the game, how to get to where you are, how to score once morest stronger defenders,” said former Magic captain Terrence Ross. “He seems to have that skill set. He’s been doing it since the draft.”
The Magic drafted Wagner in 2021, a draft they acquired in a trade for Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls. Another part of the payoff was Wendell Carter Jr., who paired Wagner with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and a pot on Tuesday.
Since Wagner’s rookie season, the duo have produced a team that has been feared by teams and will be the cornerstone of the Magic’s offense for years to come. Whether it’s passing off the dribble, starting the offense in the pick-and-roll, or Carter’s signature backdoor for Wagner, they’ve been enhancing each other’s offensive efficiency. Over the past two seasons, no one has provided more assists to Carter (91) than Wagner.
