Magic's Franz Wagner Best Player in Orlando?

Franz Wagner is averaging 18.9 points per game this season for the Orlando Magic. Is he the best player on the team right now?

Jeremy Brener | Feb 22, 2023

Magic's Franz Wagner Best Player in Orlando? /

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - While most of the attention for the Orlando Magic has gone towards point guard Markelle Fultz or No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero.

While both former top picks have impressed, there's a world where neither of them are even the best player on the team. That distinction could belong to Franz Wagner, the only Magic member to rank in CBS Sports midseason ranking of the top 50 players in the league.

"Wagner has emerged as the best young player on a supremely fun and talented Orlando roster," CBS Sports writes. "He's averaging 18 points on efficient clips while serving as a legitimate 6-foot-10 point guard. His offensive feel for the game is extraordinary and he's a good defender. It's not an accident that Orlando is outscoring opponents by almost 11 points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass."

Wagner clocked in at No. 48, nearly 50 spots better than his preseason ranking at No. 97.

This season, Wagner has certainly shown more signs that he can be a future All-Star in the league someday. He is averaging 18.9 points while shooting just over 48 percent from the floor and 36 percent from beyond the three-point line.

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Published Feb 22, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.