Orlando Magic player Franz Wagner was magnificent in the important group-stage match between Germany and France at the 1900 Paris Summer Olympics. His play soon drew the interest of Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade who commented on Instagram praising him.
Wade’s Public Praise
During the game, the 22-year-old Wagner was embraced by Wade, who was a commentator of the match, he shared the video of this event on Instagram and wrote ‘Got a new fan in me.’ Wagner, who was happy to meet his idol, just reposted this story and commented ‘This is crazy biggest DWade fan growing up.’
Dominant Display Against France
Wagner was point-wise in Germany’s win against France 85-71. He put in 26 points and measures 8/15 from the field 2/5 from the three-point line and 8/8 with freedom throws. Wagner, together with Dennis Schroder contributed for 52 of the total points of Germany and the latter also performed 9 assists while scoring 26 points. This pair was fundamental because none of the other players in the team was able to score double figures; Moritz Wagner, brother to Franz, had only eight points.
Securing the Group Stage
This win put Germany in the second position on the ladder as the group phase ended, and only behind Team USA. This created a feasible confrontation between the incumbent world champions and the Olympic champions should they both progress to the last bout which will be for the gold medal. Thus, Wagner’s performance against other high-ranked players such as Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert can vividly explain his importance.
A Bright Future Ahead
Wagner recently agreed to a five-year $224 million contract extension with the Orlando Magic, which shows how more valued he is in the NBA these days. His performance in the ongoing Olympic games was a perfect example of why he is believed to be among the best young talents in the league. Even if he is not in the limelight most of the time, Wagner can bank on the thought that his childhood hero Dwyane Wade is following his progress.
Franz Wagner is starstruck after Dwyane Wade said that he became a fan of him 🤩 #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/3iWPEjppV7
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) August 3, 2024
Comments