Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner Out Indefinitely Due to Torn Oblique

Two of the team's stars have been felled by the same unusual injury.
Magic forward Franz Wagner shoots during Orlando's 102–94 loss to the 76ers on Dec. 6, 2024.
Magic forward Franz Wagner shoots during Orlando's 102–94 loss to the 76ers on Dec. 6, 2024. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
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Oblique injuries are relatively rare in basketball, and Orlando Magic fans were shocked on Oct. 30 when one befell forward Paolo Banchero.

Now, a little over a month later, a similar injury has knocked out another of the team's rising young stars.

Magic forward Franz Wagner will miss an indefinite amount of time after tearing his right oblique Friday during Orlando's 102–94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, according to a Saturday afternoon report from Shams Charania of ESPN.

Wagner, 23, is averaging a career-high 24.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season. Thanks largely to his efforts, the Magic are 16-9—the third-best ledger in the Eastern Conference.

The oblique muscle helps govern core motion, and injuries to it are common in baseball. Basketball is a different story, as Orlando fans know all too well.

The Magic, sans Banchero and Wagner, are scheduled to play the Phoenix Suns on the road Sunday.


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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .