After what looked like a scary injury for Magic forward Franz Wagner in the first quarter against the Knicks, where he landed awkwardly, fans can breathe a sigh of relief. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wagner suffered a high left-ankle sprain with no structural damage. While the exact timeline is TBD, such injuries typically require 2-4 weeks of recovery. This is a major break for Orlando and a boost to their season’s momentum.

The situation unfolded on an alley-oop attempt where Anthony Black threw it up just a tad late, and Knicks center Ariel Hukporti made contact with Wagner, causing him to land awkwardly. The arena went silent as he grabbed his knee on the floor for what felt like an eternity. He had to be assisted off the court, and everyone feared the worst- a season-ending injury.

Post-game, coach Jamahl Mosley shared that seeing Wagner go down wasn’t easy.

"You never want to see anybody go down,” Mosley said. “But that hurt my heart watching him hit the floor. I’m just praying everything is going to be okay with him. Especially Boogie, who does everything the right way at all times on the floor."

"Franz has been great,” Mosley added. “He’s continuing to step up to the plate and do everything we ask—beginning on the defensive end, taking on different challenges, then stepping on the offensive end with confidence. Getting downhill, attacking the basket, getting to the free-throw line, stepping into shots with confidence. He’s been great for us this year."

For the Magic, the process of rehabbing Wagner and bringing him back will likely take some time, but the priority is ensuring he fully recovers to 100 percent before returning.

Through 24 games this season, Wagner has averaged 22.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He took the primary scorer role after Paolo Banchero went down for 10 games with a left groin strain. Despite the Magic’s success, it just seems they keep getting unlucky with the timing of their injuries.

Mosley expressed that the team has handled injuries before, and this will be another step of adversity they need to overcome to keep their recent surge going.

"We’ve been here before,” Mosley said. “We always lean on the things that have happened in the past to take that experience, but we’ve got to learn from it what are we going to do and how are we going to play. You don’t want to see anybody go down, but we’ve talked about our depth and our defense being our strong suit. Our guys are going to have to step up to the plate depending on how long guys are out for."

More Orlando Magic News

Orlando Magic's Jalen Suggs Speaks Out After Franz Wagner Scary Fall

Suggs reveals his emotional response to Wagner's injury, focusing on team resilience and his own physical preparation for the upcoming Miami clash. Click Here

Noah Penda’s Impact Growing As Rookie Forward Carves Out Key Role

Beyond the hype, a rookie forward quietly anchors defense, orchestrates offense, and impresses teammates and coaches with his crucial late-game contributions. Click Here

Magic Keep Winning Due To One Key Reason Opponents Can’t Gameplan For

Unrelenting hustle and defensive intensity fuel the Magic's surge, overwhelming opponents with sheer effort they simply cannot outmaneuver. Click Here 

Remember to join our MAGIC on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form. and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Magic fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!