Wagner eager for homecoming game as revamped Magic target breakthrough season
wagner-anticipates-berlin-magic-set-sights-on-contention
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner is counting the days until January, when the club will meet the Memphis Grizzlies in Berlin as part of the NBA’s international slate. Fresh off a EuroBasket 2025 gold medal with Germany, the 6’10” scorer said the opportunity to play a regular-season contest in his home country adds extra excitement to a year that already carries heightened expectations.
“Our expectations need to be higher than in previous seasons,” Wagner told reporters this week. “We brought in Desmond Bane and other quality players, so from a talent and mentality standpoint we have to approach the year like contenders.”
Wagner spent much of the offseason honing his perimeter shot after back-to-back campaigns below 30 percent from three-point range. He believes the work showed during stretches of EuroBasket play and hopes to carry that rhythm into 2025-26.
Frontcourt confidence
Team president Jeff Weltman recently praised center Wendell Carter Jr., who enters the season healthy after an uninterrupted summer program. “My confidence is at an all-time high,” said the 26-year-old big man. Carter emphasized that his focus was less on adding new moves than on reinforcing belief through repetition: “I took a million shots this summer, so when I step on the floor I expect them to go in.”
Black embracing third camp
Third-year guard Anthony Black, eligible for a rookie-scale extension next offseason, has drawn rave reviews from teammates. “When AB is playing free and leaning on his strengths—getting downhill, attacking the rim, taking open threes—he’s difficult for anyone to guard,” Carter said.
Richardson adjusting to pro speed
Rookie first-round pick Jase Richardson described the jump from college to the NBA as primarily physical. “I have to prove I can defend, especially at my size,” the 6’3” guard noted after Thursday’s practice.
The Magic open training camp with a deeper roster headlined by Wagner, Bane and All-Star forward Paolo Banchero. Orlando finished 47-35 last season and is aiming to take another step in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Source: Hoops Rumors
