Franz Wagner

Second only, perhaps, to the centers with superhero-themed nicknames, the Orlando Magic have often found that many of their franchise’s most successful seasons have been tethered to bucket-getting forwards, capable of changing a game’s spectrum within a 12-minute span. In putting his name side-by-side with a former 13-point-in-35-second-scoring all-world swingman of the early-2000s, Franz Wagner again solidified himself as one of the organization’s could-be greats on January 25, 2025. Finding out just how much persistence can pay, Wagner — 1-of-12 with seven points at the fourth quarter’s open — cashed in on a one-of-a-kind finish, burying catch-and-shoot 3-pointers one after another during a record-tying 25-point avalanche. Missing only a single shot during his 10-attempt takeover, the steadily-ascending fourth-year great helped encourage a late-game runaway, as Orlando won a battle of Eastern Conference up-and-comers against the Detroit Pistons. By game’s end, Wagner’s heatwave permitted 32 points, four rebounds, and seven assists, alongside solid efficiency overall (10-of-22), from outside (four-of-eight), and at the foul line (eight-of-eight).