The Official Franz Wagner Thread

[Knightro]

I doubt it. I recall him being asked if he knew the Magic were going to take him and he sounded as though he didn't have any certainty about where he would go.

I think speculation about promises far exceeds their actual prevalence. His representatives probably had a general idea of his range and didn't see much upside in additional workouts. It doesn't make sense to shut down workouts unless someone gives you a promise well above your expected range.

Perhaps.

He's just pretty much the only guy in the top 10 players who didn't publicly workout with anyone. There were literally no reports of Wagner working out for anyone at all. Maybe his agents just preferred to keep things low key? Maybe the Magic went to him?

All I know is that the Magic (nor any other team) didn't post his workout interview or invite the media like they did with basically every other lotto prospect - Barnes, Kuminga, Kispert among others - who came to the facility.

[The Effect]

Franz is projecting to be a more athletic better defensive Gallinari. That is a perennial all star. Gallo has big holes in his game and Franz doesn’t really have ANY as a ROOKIE. Pretty special we got him.

I try to temper my expectations to not get dissapointed. I was propably the biggest fan of Wagner before draft, wanted to take him #5 above Kuminga and Barnes. I would still take Wagner over Barnes and Kuminga but i suppose i am in minority.

Me and Knightbro have been on his bandwagon for a while also. I know we were speculating way before the draft that we gave him a promise at 8. I got ridiculed for saying he had a game similar to Gordon Hayward.

He has exceeded my expectations so far. I did think he would be a player that would be hard to take off the floor because he does everything well.

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I still don't get the Hayward comp, their games are nothing alike

[basketballRob]

I try to temper my expectations to not get dissapointed. I was propably the biggest fan of Wagner before draft, wanted to take him #5 above Kuminga and Barnes. I would still take Wagner over Barnes and Kuminga but i suppose i am in minority.

Me and Knightbro have been on his bandwagon for a while also. I know we were speculating way before the draft that we gave him a promise at 8. I got ridiculed for saying he had a game similar to Gordon Hayward.

He has exceeded my expectations so far. I did think he would be a player that would be hard to take off the floor because he does everything well.

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I still don't get the Hayward comp, their games are nothing alike

I think they're a lot alike. Both handle the ball well, good first step, and can shoot. Franz might have a higher ceiling because he's longer and can defend.

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[Optimus_Steel]

I'm settling on a rich man's Hedo. More athletic and better defending Magic Hedo is a multiple All-star player.

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[nicnac215]

I'm settling on a rich man's Hedo. More athletic and better defending Magic Hedo is a multiple All-star player.

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I wouldn’t compare him to Hedo even. Hedo had a much lower bbiq. He would shoot bad shots consistently. More like an inverted AK47. Great offensively and above average defensively. Franz the future!

[ORLMagicGirl15]

I don’t know who this kid reminds me of but I like him. I truly hope that we get to watch him reach his full potential.

[KillMonger]

Watch on YouTube

[basketballRob]

I'm settling on a rich man's Hedo. More athletic and better defending Magic Hedo is a multiple All-star player.

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I wouldn’t compare him to Hedo even. Hedo had a much lower bbiq. He would shoot bad shots consistently. More like an inverted AK47. Great offensively and above average defensively. Franz the future!

I remember Hedo having a energy problem. In some games, he would just be flat. They started correcting it in the year we went to the Finals, his diet consisted of a lot of beer and pizza.

Franz seems more disciplined.

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[drsd]

I'm settling on a rich man's Hedo. More athletic and better defending Magic Hedo is a multiple All-star player.

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I wouldn’t compare him to Hedo even. Hedo had a much lower bbiq. He would shoot bad shots consistently. More like an inverted AK47. Great offensively and above average defensively. Franz the future!

I remember Hedo having a energy problem. In some games, he would just be flat. They started correcting it in the year we went to the Finals, his diet consisted of a lot of beer and pizza.

Franz seems more disciplined.

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Far be it for me to criticize a professional athlete for the way he takes care of his body, but I do have to say that (without even knowing that the TNT cameras caught Hedo Turkoglu(notes) eating pizza before the game), the Magic forward's uniform looked awful clingy on Sunday. Seriously.

And Hedo? Come on, man. You're 30. You're not supposed to eat pizza before the game in November when you're playing the Timberwolves at home, much less before a Game 7 against the defending champs. Don't you know that Bill Russell only ate tire irons and drank siphoned-out diesel gas before every game?

But at least he got paid for it:

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[BadMofoPimp]

A Magic rep told me back in 2010 that Hedo was a heavy smoker. Don't think Franz smokes cigarettes. No comparison there.

[Optimus_Steel]

That's why I said rich man's Hedo as in a more dynamic version of Hedo.

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[Optimus_Steel]

A Magic rep told me back in 2010 that Hedo was a heavy smoker. Don't think Franz smokes cigarettes. No comparison there.

I heard the same as well.

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[Horcy]

I don't know why people see that Franz is so similar to Hedo. Despite their height and that both are Europeans I do not see many similarities in their games.
Franz is a much more athletic player and he defends much better.
If we compare Hedo's first year in the league, his impact is not even close to Franz's.

Hey! Franz is leading all rookies in total scoring!

https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2021/12/12/franz-wagner-now-leads-all-rookie-players-in-total-scoring/

[basketballRob]

I don't know why people see that Franz is so similar to Hedo. Despite their height and that both are Europeans I do not see many similarities in their games.
Franz is a much more athletic player and he defends much better.
If we compare Hedo's first year in the league, his impact is not even close to Franz's.

Hey! Franz is leading all rookies in total scoring!

https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2021/12/12/franz-wagner-now-leads-all-rookie-players-in-total-scoring/

They look so similar to me offensively. Also, I remember the first time I saw Hedo I thought that's a tall guy that runs like a guard. Franz is very fast just like him.

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[pepe1991]

imo most comparisons are some sort of race-baced. His overall awarness and feeling makes him more of Paul George than most guys that people here mentioned.
Now will he reach level of sucess & versitality George menaged to reach, i don't know. But 6'9-6'10, mobile, fine shooter, good feeling for dribbling for a size, defensive awarness, yea ,it's George-like.

[LDNMagic90]

imo most comparisons are some sort of race-baced. His overall awarness and feeling makes him more of Paul George than most guys that people here mentioned.
Now will he reach level of sucess & versitality George menaged to reach, i don't know. But 6'9-6'10, mobile, fine shooter, good feeling for dribbling for a size, defensive awarness, yea ,it's George-like.

I was going to say I feel like people compare a player based on their race. He has similarities I guess to Hedo in his play style but George is a much better comp in my opinion.

[RookieStar]

imo most comparisons are some sort of race-baced. His overall awarness and feeling makes him more of Paul George than most guys that people here mentioned.
Now will he reach level of sucess & versitality George menaged to reach, i don't know. But 6'9-6'10, mobile, fine shooter, good feeling for dribbling for a size, defensive awarness, yea ,it's George-like.

I was going to say I feel like people compare a player based on their race. He has similarities I guess to Hedo in his play style but George is a much better comp in my opinion.

I at first thought of him as AK47... but as I said I was thinkibg more of LAC Odom especially with his offensive prowess and willingness to habdle the ball.

[pepe1991]

imo most comparisons are some sort of race-baced. His overall awarness and feeling makes him more of Paul George than most guys that people here mentioned.
Now will he reach level of sucess & versitality George menaged to reach, i don't know. But 6'9-6'10, mobile, fine shooter, good feeling for dribbling for a size, defensive awarness, yea ,it's George-like.

I was going to say I feel like people compare a player based on their race. He has similarities I guess to Hedo in his play style but George is a much better comp in my opinion.

I at first thought of him as AK47... but as I said I was thinkibg more of LAC Odom especially with his offensive prowess and willingness to habdle the ball.

Odom is very nice comb. Hopefully no Kardashians and and no crack

[LDNMagic90]

imo most comparisons are some sort of race-baced. His overall awarness and feeling makes him more of Paul George than most guys that people here mentioned.
Now will he reach level of sucess & versitality George menaged to reach, i don't know. But 6'9-6'10, mobile, fine shooter, good feeling for dribbling for a size, defensive awarness, yea ,it's George-like.

I was going to say I feel like people compare a player based on their race. He has similarities I guess to Hedo in his play style but George is a much better comp in my opinion.

I at first thought of him as AK47... but as I said I was thinkibg more of LAC Odom especially with his offensive prowess and willingness to habdle the ball.

That's actually an interesting comp now that you've said it, Franz is very similar to LAC Odom and has a bit of AK to him

[tiderulz]

I was going to say I feel like people compare a player based on their race. He has similarities I guess to Hedo in his play style but George is a much better comp in my opinion.

I at first thought of him as AK47... but as I said I was thinkibg more of LAC Odom especially with his offensive prowess and willingness to habdle the ball.

That's actually an interesting comp now that you've said it, Franz is very similar to LAC Odom and has a bit of AK to him

i thought AK47 coming into the draft and league. I havent seen that level of defense out of him, but seen more offense than i expected.