Franz Wagner is heading into a different kind of season in Orlando.
The Magic forward is about to begin his sixth NBA year, but this one comes with two major changes. For the first time in his career, he’ll have a new head coach, with Sean Sweeney taking over from Jamahl Mosley. And for the first time since arriving in Orlando as the team’s 8th-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, he won’t have Moritz Wagner in the locker room beside him.
That’s a big shift for a player whose Orlando home base has doubled as a family comfort zone. Moritz, who had been Franz’s teammate and roommate throughout his time in the city, has moved on after signing with the Brooklyn Nets.
At Orlando Magic Media Day, Franz spoke about what that transition means.
“I think it’s a work in progress…It’s bittersweet. I loved playing with my brother... Shared a lot of cool memories…Super grateful…”
It’s the kind of change that forces a player to stretch in new ways, and Franz said he understands that. Losing a familiar presence like that is never simple, but he also made clear he’s ready to build chemistry with his other teammates as he settles into this next stage of his career.
The brotherly routine is gone, at least in Orlando. The shared locker room, the shared living arrangement, the shared day-to-day rhythm - all of that is over now. What remains is the appreciation for what the Wagners built together in a Magic uniform, and the challenge of carrying that same energy into a new era.
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