Homecoming for Wagners
The Wagner brothers, Moe and Franz, grew up in the Berlin area and are now two of the most celebrated professional athletes in Germany. The last few years, through their play with the senior men’s national team, they have helped German basketball reach new heights. They together won the bronze at EuroBasket 2022 and the gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. They also reached the semifinals in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Franz and Tristan da Silva, most recently, helped the Germans capture the gold at EuroBasket 2025. Moe was rehabbing his torn ACL during that time. Over the last four years in the major international tournaments combined, the German men’s national team is 28-4 and currently ranked second in the world in FIBA behind the United States.
Desmond to Face Former Team
This will be the first time Desmond Bane will play his former team since getting traded to the Magic last June. The 6-foot-6 versatile guard played five seasons in Memphis, where he averaged 17.8 points and shot 41 percent from 3-point range across 313 regular season games. So far in Orlando, he’s averaging 19.2 points. Most impressive about him with the Magic has been his finishing on drives and his clutch scoring. He’s taken the seventh most shots on drives in the league this season and has made 52.4 percent of them. He’s also knocked down two game-winning shots – a buzzer-beating three against the Blazers on Nov. 10 and a go-ahead driving layup with 0.9 seconds left at Utah on Dec. 20. He had a couple big buckets down the stretch in the win over the Pelicans on Jan. 11 as well.
International Exposure
Playing in Berlin and London is a great opportunity for the Magic to build their brand and increase interest in the team. With Orlando being the most visited U.S. city because of its theme parks and world-class resorts, it was a no-brainer for the Magic to have this in-person connection to engage with European fans. This past July, the Magic were in three German cities – Berlin, Bonn and Munich – for a summer tour, which featured youth basketball clinics, hoops festivals, a meet-and-greet with former player Ryan Anderson, and other celebrations centered around basketball.
Global Game History
At the end of this trip, the Magic will have played 15 games all time outside of the U.S. and Canada. While this is the first time they are playing in Germany, the Magic have been in England twice before. They played a pair of preseason games against the Hawks in London in 1993 and a regular season game against the Raptors there in 2016. The other international cities they’ve played in for regular season games are Mexico City (2018 and 2023) and Tokyo (1996). They were in China (Shanghai and Macau) for three preseason games in 2007, in Mexico City for an exhibition in 2012 and in Rio de Janeiro for a tune-up in 2015.
State of the Team
The last month has been a roller coaster for the Magic. They’ve alternated wins and losses in their last 14 games. After beating the Pelicans at home on Sunday, they will have the opportunity to start a winning streak in Europe. Obviously, injuries have factored into the inconsistency. Franz, who continues to make progress in his rehab from a high left ankle sprain, has missed the last 16 games. Jalen Suggs has been in and out all year and is currently nursing a right knee contusion. Moe made his highly anticipated season debut on Sunday after missing nearly 13 months with a torn ACL in his left knee. But there’s optimism about where this team is headed, especially once they get healthy. Among the positives are the emergence of Anthony Black, the playmaking of Paolo Banchero, and the lift Bane has given with his blend of shot creation off the dribble, shooting and toughness.
