Orlando Magic star Franz Wagner had an exceptional outing in Germany’s critical win over France in their third and final group-stage game in the ongoing Paris Olympics. The forward’s stellar display left a lasting impression on Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, who gave him a nod of approval on Instagram.
Advertisement
The Hall of Famer, who was on commentary duty, posted a clip of him hugging the 22-year-old star after the game and captioned it, “Got a new fan in me.” Wagner was thrilled about receiving validation from Wade and reciprocated the love and admiration. He reposted the retired guard’s story, and wrote, “This is crazy. Biggest DWade fan growing up.”
Wade shows Franz love on IG pic.twitter.com/3429pkQakv
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) August 3, 2024
The young forward and teammate Dennis Schroder architected a comfortable but critical 85-71 win for Germany over the home side that saw them improve to 3-0. Wagner shot 8-of-15 from the field, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 8-0f-8 from the free-throw line in a stellar 26-point performance.
Schroder also finished the game with 26 points and provided nine assists. The duo combined for 52 of Germany’s 85 points and no other player on their team hit double-figures in points. Franz’s brother, Moritz Wagner, was the team’s third-highest scorer with a meager eight points, showcasing how vital the young forward and the veteran guard’s performances were.
The 14-point win margin was critical as it ensured that they finished the group stages as the second-best team behind Team USA, who are the top-seeded team in the knockouts due to their superior point differential.
The reigning world champions and the defending Olympic champions are now on opposite sides of the bracket and will only face off if they make it to the gold medal match. Wagner’s stellar performance was critical in boosting Germany’s odds of returning home with a medal.
The forward, who signed a five-year, $224 million contract extension with the Magic before flying to Paris, is showcasing why he’s touted as one of the best young players in the NBA. His masterful display against Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, and an experienced French team on their home turf indicated why Orlando handed a max deal.
Wagner has a bright future in the NBA and will be a player to watch out for in the coming years. Even if fans and analysts do not tune in to the Magic’s games to watch the young German in action, he likely wouldn’t mind. He’s content knowing that his idol, Dwyane Wade, is keeping close tabs on his exploits on the basketball court.
