Main Strengths
Franz is one of the best in the league driving to the basket. His footwork is elite; he’s ultra-crafty; and he can make shots on the move going in either direction and from all angles. Last year, he made the 11th most shots on drives and connected on nearly 50 percent of his driving shot attempts.
The 6-foot-10, 220-pounder also hits outside shots off the catch at a high clip, especially after relocating. In 2022-23, he knocked down 44.9 percent of his catch-and-shoot on-the-move and relocation 3-pointers, per Second Spectrum tracking data, which was the third-best mark in the league among those with 50-plus attempts.
Best of all is that Wagner, still just 22 years old, is a legitimate two-way player. He’s one of the NBA’s more versatile defenders. Some interesting shooting percentages by opponents last year when he was the closest defender, per data, include DeMar DeRozan going 1-for-7, RJ Barrett 2-for-11, Jaylen Brown 2-for-10, Zach LaVine 3-for-9, and Jimmy Butler 3-for-8.
Areas to Improve
Can Wagner, for one, increase his free throw attempts? He hasn’t initiated a lot of contact in his career thus far, despite getting to the basket a ton. Last year, his foul-drawn frequency on drives was just six percent. Among the 26 players who scored at least 200 points on drives, only Josh Giddey, Dejounte Murray, Jordan Clarkson, and CJ McCollum had lower percentages. Overall, Wagner averaged four free throw attempts per contest, which was 1.2 more than in his rookie campaign.
Becoming an even better playmaker is also key, especially considering he has an extremely high basketball IQ, with the vision and instincts to match. Between he and Paolo Banchero, the Magic have a pair of 6-foot-10 forwards that can orchestrate the offense. Last season, Wagner sprayed out 86 passes from the paint for 3-point attempts, 37th most in the league and second most on the Magic behind Markelle Fultz’s 112. Head coach Jamahl Mosley said recently that Franz’s passing is his most underrated quality.
Another question is tied to his “in-between” shooting. Wagner has struggled with his floater so far in his NBA career, making just 38.9 percent of them last season, the second worst percentage among those with 100-plus attempts. He also only took 76 mid-range shots, which came out to just 6.8 percent of all his shot attempts.
Accomplishments Thus Far
Most recently, Wagner helped Germany win the 2023 FIBA World Cup championship. It was the first time the Germans captured gold in an international hoops tournament. In the four games he appeared in, Wagner averaged 16.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists and was named to the All-FIBA World Cup Second Team. The prior summer, Wagner and the Germans won bronze at 2022 EuroBasket.
In his first NBA season after the Magic made him the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Franz made the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
His career high in scoring is 38 points, set Dec. 28, 2021 against the Milwaukee Bucks. He has four 30-plus point performances so far with the Magic.
Last Season’s Production
Wagner averaged 18.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.2 blocks, making 48.5 percent of his floor shots and 36.1 percent of his 3-point attempts. November was his best month, averaging 21.7 points on 52.9 percent floor shooting over 15 games.
He scored a season-high 34 points against the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 9. He also recorded two double-doubles and made at least five threes in four games. His 426 fourth-quarter points were ninth-most in the league.
What He’s Saying
On His Confidence: “I’m definitely more confident with myself. It’s just a normal part of getting a little bit older. I’m just trying to do my job – play every minute really focused out here and just try to see what’s needed for my team. Obviously, my responsibilities are a little higher than my rookie year, so I just want to make sure that I do that the best I can.”
On 2023 FIBA World Cup title: “Super special experience. Still hasn’t really registered, honestly. Really cool. We had a really cool vibe going as a group and made special relationships, and that part, honestly, is more important to me. I think I learned a lot playing in really important games. Not everything is going to go your way, but how do you still respond and win those close games – I think that was a really important experience for me.”
On Mentality Going into Third NBA Season: “I just want to be impactful as a player, whatever that calls for in a game situation. I think my ability to be efficient in different situations – I think that is something I am still working on. I’m not going to change my approach of how I like to play. At the end of the day, it’s a team game. Being ready for whatever people want from me or what’s expected in the game, that’s what I want to bring.”