Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner Focused On Improving In One Area This Offseason

After star Paolo Banchero went down with an injury five games into the season, forward Franz Wagner stepped up to lead the team by averaging 24.4 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.6 rebounds over the first 25 games.

Following his increased role, Wagner soon sustained the same torn right oblique injury as his co-star.

Wagner returned after missing 20 consecutive games, but his three-point jump shot wasn't the same. It became evident in the playoffs.

Although he averaged 24.4 points, Wagner shot just 18.9 percent from the arc during the five-game series against the Boston Celtics.

Wagner expressed the timing of the injury disrupted his rhythm.

"I think I had it pretty well and was pleased with how I was playing," Wagner said. "For me, the injury was at a terrible time, because I felt like we were rolling as a team ... yeah, obviously it disrupted my rhythm. Not even just the specifically the shot. Obviously, I couldn't shoot for a couple of weeks with the injury. I think it's kind of like after a longer vacation. You know, it takes you a little bit to just feel as you did before. It's tough to make that progression during the year. But that's the reality of the NBA."

The 23-year-old forward added many of his jumpshot inconsistencies result from the mental aspect of the game.

"It's a single motion that's very repeatable," Wagner said. "It's kind of like a golf swing, a little bit. I think mental pieces play a big part in that. I think reps play a big part in that confidence. As to the stuff that I can control. Like, right away, I thought I got into the gym quite a bit and put in the time. And I think that mental piece and just fighting back to my form. I think a little bit. I think also sometimes, you just don't make shots, and not every shot is perfect. That's something that's my mentality, that we have to maybe relax a little bit more, and I'll work on it this summer, and like I said, be better next year."

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Andrew Cherico is a contributor to the Orlando Magic On SI. He can be reached at andrewbelmont03@gmail.com

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