The value of forward Franz Wagner cannot be understated for the Orlando Magic, and his lengthy injury absences last season contributed to struggles in both the regular season and the playoffs.

Before the 2025-26 campaign, Wagner played a full slate of basketball over the summer with his native country, Germany, in the FIBA EuroBasket alongside countryman and teammate, Tristan da Silva. Germany won the gold, and Wagner, da Silva, and Wagner’s brother and teammate, Moritz, returned to Germany to play the Memphis Grizzlies in January.

The Berlin game against the Grizzlies marked a return to the court for Wagner after missing more than a month with a high ankle sprain. It eventually ended up leading to another absence as he suffered a setback with his ankle, and Wagner recently joined HoopsHype to talk about the importance of returning to Germany to play with the Magic after winning gold in EuroBasket.

"You gotta understand, basketball is a very much growing sport in Germany, and we have had great success with the National Team these last couple of years," Wagner told the outlet. "So, in my mind, I'm trying to capitalize on the moment a little bit, and the game in Berlin was a big part of that. 

"Like I said, we need as many people, as many kids starting the sport to play, and that's kind of the whole goal of this, to grow the sport at home," he added. "And moments like that, I know I would have killed to be at an NBA game when I was a kid. So, I know how special it was for everybody who was there."

While Wagner was able to achieve memories that will last a lifetime as it relates to Germany, most of his season with the Orlando Magic may be one he wants to forget. 

Wagner appeared in just 34 regular season games, the lowest mark of his career. It seemed he was back to full strength in the NBA Play-In Tournament and the playoffs, but a Game 4 calf strain suffered against the Detroit Pistons in the first round forced him to miss the rest of the series, and Orlando ended up squandering a 3-1 lead.

Now, Wagner is working hard during the summer to do what he can to avoid nagging injuries.

"For sure," Wagner said. "It's rehabbing first of all, the injuries that I did have, and then sort of addressing some of the patterns, maybe why injuries keep coming up. That's the goal: that you're not hurt at all, and not just treating symptoms when they come up, but taking preventive measures. I have a great amount of time now in the summer to do some of that."

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