The opening possession for the Orlando Magic required a double take.
Franz Wagner coming around a high pick and roll was pretty normal. He drove toward the elbow and stopped, spun back around and took a mid-range jumper.
Wagner returned to his normal shot profile, driving to the basket and finishing around defenders. His 32 points, eight rebounds and five assists were plenty of suggestions of what he can do, continuing a torrid run of play.
But at a certain point, Wagner returned to that little-used weapon in his arsenal. He hit a Dirk Nowitzki-style fadeaway over a defender. He hit a step back from the elbow extended.
This is not the Franz Wagner everyone knows and loves. But this is the Wagner the Magic need him to be right now. This is the Franz Wagner the Magic require with their star in Paolo Banchero out.
Wagner needed some time to get settled and find his footing in the time without Banchero. But things are settling for him and the team with a three-game win streak. Wagner has taken on the mantle of the team’s All-Star, in the meantime.
That means a mindset shift. And yes, that means Wagner is taking mid-range jumpers.
“I think I had a little adjustment period,” Wagner said. “I talked about it as a little mentality switch for me as well. The way I grew up playing was really off the ball and taking really good shots all the time. I think sometimes it’s ok to take the mid-range shots. That’s not something that wasn’t ingrained in me necessarily or wasn’t taught to me at a young age. It’s a good challenge for me.”
Wagner entered the game shooting 5 for 6 total on mid-range jumpers. He made three of his six mid-range jumpers in the Magic’s 114-89 win over the Charlotte Hornets. It was. . . unusual.
The mid-range though is the provenance of the stars. They are the ones who get to take these kinds of shots. And Wagner has increasingly earned that privilege.
Wagner is averaging 26.4 points per game and shooting 48.5 percent from the floor. He has added 5.8 rebounds per game, 5.2 assists per game and 1.6 steals per game for good measure. Wagner has been stellar and has helped the Magic stay in the early postseason chase.
His increased usage and scoring have been essential. And it is the exact growth the Magic needed to see from their young star in Banchero’s absence.
As much as the Magic want to say very little has changed since Banchero’s injury -- the team has stayed the course and stayed true to their philosophy and work – they have needed Wagner to step up his play. They have needed him to be the team’s star.
We are still a month away from All-Star voting and two months away before the coaches select the reserves. If the Magic are in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, they will get a representative. In all likelihood, Banchero will not play enough to get consideration.
If Wagner keeps playing the way he is playing, expanding his game and leading his team, he will earn his first All-Star bid and represent the team in San Francisco.
Wagner is truly becoming a star.
