Franz Wagner. 2023 FIBA World Cup Gold Medalist. 2022 EuroBasket Bronze Medalist. 2022 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
In the 2022-23 season, Franz played 80 games and averaged 18.6 points per game on 48.5/36.1/84.2 shooting splits while finishing just behind Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero in many of Orlando’s statistical categories. A 6’10” point forward, Franz can score in a variety of ways but what is most impressive about his game is his footwork. The foundation is phenomenal as he finds a way to finagle his way into the paint. He’s physical but patient, forceful and frenetic but the footwork is so refined that he’s able to twist and turn every minor defensive misstep into a major advantage. Per Cleaning the Glass, Franz was an elite (non-shooting) foul drawer at the wing position. He finished behind only Devin Booker, Norm Powell, Paul George, and finished tied with Austin Reaves and Mikal Bridges.
Basically: watch Franz’s footwork and be amazed by how agile he is. A well-timed bump here and a body feint there and he ends up exactly where the defense was trying to keep him from getting. He’s a big wing who can create on the perimeter, punish people in the post, and he’s relentlessly attacking angles to create and maintain advantages.
All clips from the 22/23 season.
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