Dirk Nowitzki thinks highly of Magic star Franz Wagner and believes he can achieve great things in the upcoming NBA season.
Dirk Nowitzki believes Franz Wagner could be selected as an All-Star in the upcoming NBA season. “He was playing at an absolute All-Star level at the beginning of last season. Unfortunately, he got injured and was out for a while, but before that he had All-Star numbers. He definitely has it in him,” said the basketball superstar in an interview with SID at the NBA launch event for Amazon Prime in Los Angeles.
When the new season starts next week, Wagner will be entering his fifth season in the world’s best league. Recently, Orlando was eliminated in the first playoff round twice in a row. However, during the regular season last year, Wagner had been brilliant for weeks and showed his strongest NBA performances to date before an abdominal muscle injury slowed him down.
Overall, Nowitzki thinks highly of Wagner and praises him for his versatility: “Occasionally he struggled a bit from outside with his three-pointer. But we all know he’s a great all-rounder. He has the drive to the basket, he can defend everyone, can switch anything that can play pick and roll up front is a good passer. He has a great repertoire. If he has a good year from outside, then anything is really possible.”
Wagner playing under mega contract for first time
For Wagner, this is also the first year of his five-year contract in Orlando worth a total of 224 million US dollars. Alongside his brother Moritz Wagner and Tristan da Silva, with whom he recently won European Championship gold, the 24-year-old has big plans. After some high-profile transfers like Desmond Bane, the team from Florida is aiming for the championship in the coming years.
Nowitzki, who will accompany the NBA as a TV expert for Amazon Prime in the future, also sees good chances for Wagner and company: “I hope they make it into the top four and then have home-court advantage in the first round. That would be perfect for the team. Cleveland will probably be the favorite in the East, but behind them there’s a lot possible.”