Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner warms up before game four of first round for the NBA Playoffs. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Orlando Magic Forward Franz Wagner Tabbed For Bold Accomplishment

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 12:02 PM ET

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner is going into this season with something to prove in his fifth year in the NBA.

Wagner, 24, has gotten better every year he's been in the league, going from averaging 15.2 points to 24.2 points in a span of four seasons. That's why NBA.com thinks he could become a first-time All-Star in the 2025-26 campaign.

"Teammate Paolo Banchero broke through as an All-Star in 2024, and Wagner could do the same this season. He scores enough – 24.2 ppg last season – but needs to hike his accuracy after hitting 29.5% of his 3-pointers (including 7-of-37 in the first round vs. Boston). The versatile 6-foot-10 wing just turned 24 this week, and both Orlando and he are poised for big improvement," NBA.com wrote.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The best part about Wagner's game is that it continues to grow. He is cementing himself as one of the top players in the league and he hasn't even hit his prime yet. That should bode well for a Magic team on the rise in the Eastern Conference.

The only part about Wagner's game that is a bit worrisome is his 3-point shooting. While his scoring by the rim has gone up, his distance shooting has gone down. After making just over 36 percent of his threes in the 2022-23 campaign, he made just under 30 percent this past season.

If Wagner can find a way to correct that aspect of his game, he should definitely get some All-Star recognition. However, it isn't the only thing Wagner can do to be successful.

The NBA awards players who play on the best teams in the league. Should the Magic be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference when it's time to announce the All-Stars, Wagner's chances of being included will increase. If the Magic are a top-four team, it will be hard not to include him and Banchero if they are healthy.

Without Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton on the roster this season, the young Magic forward has an even better chance to become an All-Star, so he should seize the opportunity.