Orlando Magic Pod Squad: Franz Wagner

Orlando Magic Pod Squad: Franz Wagner

And welcome everyone to another edition of Orlando Magic pod squad Dante marelli Jake Chapman George galante and we are joined by Magic third year man fron Bogner kind enough to join us here we’re having a terrific season at the time of this taping the magic 41 and 28 getting

Ready for game three of their season long eight game home stand and Ron I just got to ask you I I don’t know what the weather is typically like this time of year in Berlin or what it’s like in Ann Arbor but how about the this weather

In City beautiful oh my goodness right I mean how great has this been for you oh it’s so great um me and mo we talk about it daily honestly how how good the weather is and we obviously compare it to back home um when we talk to our parents they’re always always super

Jealous when we’re on FaceTime we show them show them how sunny it is out here what do you like to do so what would be the what would be the ideal day I know we talked to Mo one day as he was driving out to the beach but what would

Be your ideal Day on on with weather like this um I like the beach but um honestly just sit by the pool uh en enjoy the weather um and then the ideal day is I just got a sauna so the the new thing is

Right before I go to sleep I go hit the sauna um for 15 20 minutes and then I pretty much knock right out after that so yeah now don’t fall asleep in the sauna now that’s not good for you no no no I won’t do that I won’t do that I

I’ll make sure not to do that Isn’t it nice to be Beach ready I I haven’t been Beach ready in 40 years right isn’t it nice to just get out there and be ready for the beach that must be nice well fron let us know you got magic fans that that are super

Pumped about this season I know you’re excited about what’s happening right now can you feel the buzz and the electricity in this town right now about what about what’s happening here with the magic definitely I think that’s that’s a huge part of our excitement as a group

Too that we can feel that and um you know when you’re out just walking around or something like that more and more people recognize that just just thank you for the efforts and stuff like that I think that’s that’s a super cool part of it and um obviously

We want to make sure we we keep that going and keep growing as a team and um yeah do that for the next couple years you actually stole my question because I was going to ask you have you been noticing when you’re out do do more

People are they noticing you now or they I I don’t know what it was like before I don’t know what it was like your rookie year or even your second year like are you walking around and everybody goes holy crap I think that’s fron Vagner like are you getting some of that a

Little bit it’s not it’s honestly not too bad um which uh I’m I’m a little happy about honestly I like to move around and just just be a normal person too but um I think now now it’s more like people are so excited to come up

And say hey you guys are playing so great um love what you guys are doing I think that part is obviously reassuring and um yeah keeps you motivated I would say R is this the most fun you’ve ever had playing basketball um in the NBA last summer I

Know last summer I know last summer was very fun exactly I know last summer it was very fun but yeah side any yeah I think I think it’s a similar Vibe though that that we’re creating here and I think it’s um it’s a little harder to do

In a long season like we are having um you know to have a group stay connected like that and everybody is totally locked in on the team team um yeah but the national team like I said I think there’s a lot of parallels that that I would draw in terms of the togetherness

And um Rose being thein and everybody um really growing together as a group I think um that’s what’s most fun I think about our group that we’re so young and that we kind of grew as as a group together and um yeah now we’re kind of

Reaping the benefits of that I think um and I think that’s I think to me that’s the coolest part having uh been with these guys and been through tough times with these guys as well and um like I said I think now we’re enjoying um you

Know kind of the end of that and um hopefully we can we can finish this season strong Amen to that yeah fron I’m watching the Cavs in heat I could care less about either of those two teams and I’m watching those games and I’m watching the the Pacers and the bull I

Mean I’m watching them all are you getting caught up in I know you don’t look past your opponent I I know you’re not looking ahead by any means but are you watching to see what the other teams do because of affects you in the standings for sure but more so um I

Would say watching uh in terms of like playoff preparation and um really getting to know these teams um obviously that that we’re competing with and that we’re in the playoff race with and um I think the biggest thing is what you said though that you know we we’re in a we’re

In a situation where we can control our own destiny and I think that’s a that’s a super super cool thing for us as a young group and um how we do that is just stay focus on us and um but obviously I think everybody looks at the

Standings every once in a while and um no I think if we keep doing our job like we have been I think we have a good shot um know getting a good playoff spot and how have you guys been able to do that front to just focus on the on the now I

Think you guys are doing a really good job of not like you said not getting too far ahead and not looking at other opponents like you’re really you guys are really focused on okay to tomorrow night we play New Orleans and that’s what we’re focused on and that’s all

We’re doing and we’re not looking at anything else how hard has it been to to block out you know all of the other stuff which which comes with with success all the the people and the the requests and this and that how how have you guys been able to focus on

That I think it starts with Coach mosy honestly I think that’s a huge emphasis and most of his his talks and pregame speeches and and stuff like that and I think that is it’s a credit to everybody on the team just individually locking in and knowing what the what the task at

Hand and was what the goal is so um I think for us to stay focused everybody needs that same approach um and at the same time I think it’s cool that that we’re still having fun with it and and using these games to get better and also

Learn from it you know I think the New York game the Indiana game uh were big learning lessons for us and I think it’s uh it’s a big credit to the team that that we learn from those games and get better and um you know not Overlook that

Or I think it’s not important like that um but I think everybody’s aware that you know 13 games or something like that left so um we want to make those count I wanted to ask you something similar about you specifically I was listening to an old pod with you with Duncan

Robinson I think it was after your rookie year and he talked about how sometimes in game you want to clear your head like you got almost too much going on and you’re and you’re thinking about maybe the last play and that is that something and and I think obviously you

Probably improved in that regard just based on uh the way you’ve improved performance-wise in in three seasons now is that something that can only be fixed with reps and and with time and experience or is that something that you focus on kind of your mental approach to the game as the season wears

On yeah I think I think it’s one of those things um you know it doesn’t always get easier the mental side of it you know obviously you want to get better and strive to do that but um as you get older your expectations get higher and stuff like that and I think

Um you know the the game and inside of your head is sometimes the toughest part and um I think I think that’s a huge part of being an NBA player or being just in those high pressure pressure moments that I think everybody kind of has to figure that out for themselves

And um obviously there’s resources that that that we have with the team and people you can talk to and stuff like that but um I know for me sometimes it’s good to get away from the game um you know do do something that’s not related

To it and so then I can come back and and really focus on it and then there’s stuff in the game just like taking deep breaths or um meditating like before game stuff like that I think um that I like to do um but yeah like I said I

Think everybody kind of has to figure it out their own way um but I think it’s it’s good to acknowledge that that’s a that’s a huge part of playing basketball at a high level and doing that consistently over a long time so um I think that’s that’s something maybe

That’s not OB obviously it’s not as easy to see as you know guys warming up before the game or stretching and the obvious body recovery stuff I think the the mental side of the sport is uh yeah just as much much a thing it’s great we’re hearing so much more about that uh

Here jaylen’s been outspoken about that as well how much he’s he’s benefited from that you know when you watch the way you play and the way you finish you you pick up the basketball you’re in the paint you’re making your move somebody goes right you go left they go left you

Go right you have an ability to get around them you can finish you you can see the defender in front front of you the one that’s coming you’re able to finish how does one practice that you know when you put in all this time and all this work and you have such

Incredible footwork and you’re able to finish falling away flipping it up a high off the glass how do you possibly practice all of that France well obviously I didn’t like I didn’t do that stuff just the first time I picked up a basketball I think right right I think the biggest thing is

Having having the basics right and um doing those being able to do those just um you know kind of in your sleep and having those habits right and then nowadays um you know we do a lot of random stuff where a coach throws me a

Bow and like in the last second he gives me a pointer of how I should finish if it’s high if it’s with the left hand off two feet um so different stuff like that to kind of simulate what happens in the game where you adjust in the last second

Um so I would say we do a lot of a lot of those kind of awkward finishes maybe that that um are sometimes doing the game um but honestly a big part of my game is also focusing on um you know those moments where it’s maybe good to

Go through a Defender um I think it’s it’s cool to to play with someone like Paulo who um you know has that down in the second year already you know getting to the free throw line finding contact to create angles and stuff like that um

So that’s that’s how I look at it um I think those those finishes are super cool but sometimes the best thing is to create a better angle by not just going around people by going going through the defender yeah good point so when you are

You watching a lot of film to to to figure out different ways that you can finish and get to the rim because obviously if you you know you’re at 85 86% free throw shooter so it would benefit you to get to the line as much as possible right for sure um yeah

That’s that’s a huge uh point of emphasis in my workouts uh when I’m watching film with coaches or by myself um or when I’m just watching a random game at night um you know those those plays kind of tend to stick in my head a little more where I see something that I

Talked about um with the coaches um that day so yeah that’s definitely something I try to focus on and um it’s not it’s not the natural thing for me so it’s it takes a little bit to to implement that in my game and get better at it um but I

Think that that’s part of it it’s part of getting better and uh I enjoy those those challenges honestly does does a coach come to you at any point and say Hey listen I saw so and so do this can let’s try this and then you you you try

To to add a move into into your uh your repertoire a little bit yeah that can happen the other days uh a coach uh coach W sent me a clip of Brandon Ingram um you know Finding contact as he as he’s going to the basket so um yeah it

Can it can be any type of situation maybe U preparing for a scout they they see a clip and they send it to me or stuff like that um you know we we got a great coaching staff that um you know was very aware of of what the players

Are wanting to get better at and what they need to get better at and I think that’s that’s a huge part of of our program sometimes like your brother says you just got to bang your head through the wall right exactly exactly that’s the most no

Thing ever yeah oh it’s my favorite I think it’s my favorite what is it how gratifying has it been for you to watch him this year kind of harness that energy right for for those of us whove watched every game that he’s played in a magic uniform we

Know how important he is bringing the juice I call him on the radio broadcast the juice Brer and and the nickname admittedly needs work um but yeah you might want to Workshop yeah that one sucks by the Wayan it’s not bad he brings the juice I don’t know how

Else to describe the match um but be shorter first of all it’s got to be it it has to have been fun fron um and and gratifying and and rewarding to watch your brother kind of thread that needle where he he’s still himself he’s still being um the bringer of the juice and

Bringing that energy but but he’s able to sort of scale it back at times um and not hurt the team it’s uh it’s a fine line to walk at times but he’s he’s nailing it this year isn’t he man that’s a huge compliment I would say uh I think that’s uh awesome that

For somebody that watches every game that says that because I know it’s a lot uh it’s something that he focuses on a lot and um know he puts a lot of work in and like you said it’s it’s not easy to do um you know to to bring those

Intangibles every game and and and bring like you said the juice um every game um without um maybe going a little a little bit too far um so I I’m I’m super proud just as a as a brother seeing his development and the way he’s cved himself you know a

Role on a really good NBA team um looking at how his career went he um you know definitely wasn’t out the best cards so I think that’s that’s really cool for him um you know the path that he’s taken and continues to take and uh obviously it’s it’s super cool to see

That up close what did he work on the most I mean he for most of the year he’s top 10 in field goal percentage top five in two-point percentage he’s he’s top 10 in points per game off Cuts he has figured out how to get open right and

Figured out the pass that’s a stat and he can and he’s able to finish magic are one of the top cutting teams and the guy we’re talking to is is right there at the top as well but um but it’s he’s figured out passing Lanes he’s figured

Out how to get open and he’s finishing this year it’s what what are some of the things that he worked on to put himself in this position I think I think if uh if we would ask Mo I think he would say simplify this game a little bit I think

He knows EX exactly what he’s good at what he’s really good at and he tries to do that as many times sorry someone called um he tries to do that as many times as he can um throughout the game so I think I think whether it’s cutting I

Think he’s always been a player but um know I think he has these he simplified his game in terms of when he gets it in pick and roll he knows exactly what he’s looking at what the what his reads are um I’ve SE I think it also really helps

Um you know playing with someone like Joe Eng Les where you know you’re going to get the ball of your open um so I think that I think their chemistry especially in that second unit um no I think has really helped them and um Mo’s just a a smart player that knows where

To be at at what time and um yeah I think a huge part of of our offense and um of our team Joe Engles have you ever seen a player be so productive that that doesn’t Bend at the waste have you ever seen have you have have you ever seen somebody

That efficient it’s remarkable right not blazing speed per se but he’s but he’s so good out there he is I think yeah I think it’s it’s really cool for obviously us young players to see how you can manipulate the game and um have a huge imput on a game without

Necessarily being the strongest or fastest or most athletic out there and um you know those are skills that are super hard to learn um the stuff that he does every day and um so it’s cool to see that and like I said it’s very hard to to implement that in your own game

And and and learning from it um it’s definitely it’s definitely really cool have you all seen the video the Jumping Joe videos by the way when he when he had a fast break and the entire bench was begging him to dunk it yeah oh yeah that was the one that

Was the one moment that was the one I we’re gonna get a better chance yeah I don’t think we are I think I think that was like Haley’s comment I’m not sure you’re gonna see that one again uh post Allstar break yes he should have been he

Should have had fresh legs yeah exactly so we’ll see but there’s all these videos of him in Australia when he used to dunk on people all the time it was amazing it’s you got we got to find those it’s it’s pretty impressive uh well speaking of fresh

Likes France take us back to January you have the ankle injury right and that puts you out for n games we’ve talked privately Dante myself Jake that when you came back it seemed like because you had played all I mean you really didn’t have a break right for two straight

Seasons because you’re playing with Germany and then the and then the you’re playing basically all 82 games for the magic and then you’re going right back to team Germany again and then because we know one thing about you if you’re healthy You’re Gonna Play and so you’ve

Had two straight ears and then you had the ankle injury where you missed nine games we felt that when you came back like maybe that was a little bit of a blessing in disguise because you even though you were hurt and you had to rehab maybe that was a little bit of a

Break for you did you feel that at all or were you just chomping at the bit to get back and and the heck with this injury I got to get back on the court yeah I think I think that was one thing that I mean one train of thought

That I had to stay positive as I was injured um you know you always try to obviously make the most out of the situation and I think I think there’s definitely some truth to that um at the same time though I think there’s also a rhythm that you get when

You’re when you’re in season and um you know when you’re injured you obviously kind of lose that um and it takes a little bit to get that back so um but yeah I think there’s there’s definitely some truth to that and um more so than anything though I was just just happy to

Get back out there and luckily it wasn’t wasn’t too bad of an injury is that the main thing though France I mean you had an ankle and you missed eight games otherwise we’re talking about the games at the end of the year that when the whole team said

Right 80 79 games Paulo’s the same way he spray an ankle last year and he’s played just about every game through two seasons and in today’s day and age we don’t want to get all into it but um it’s rare to have guys that play not I pulled the numbers yesterday you’ve been

Available 94.3% of the time uh in the games you’ve been in a magic uniform is it is it about losing because I know there’s Knights and and days when you wake up and you go man this is you know the Hamm’s bugging me or the calf is

Really sore is it a matter of you just want to play because you don’t want to lose your Rhythm Is it is it just something that you’ve always just been programmed that way if I’m good to go if I can stand up I’m gonna go play this game what’s that mentality

About um yeah to me it’s like I would I would hate to like look back and then be like oh I could have helped the team but like know I I would hate to have that like regret thought a little bit after the game um when I if I

I wouldn’t have played so um if I could feel confident that I’m not going to hurt myself or um that I can help the team um then you know I don’t see no reason why not to play I love playing I love being out there with my teammates

And I think there is there is uh you know I think what I just said with the Rhythm like there is something to that when you when you don’t play for a couple days you kind of lose that a little bit and might take a couple

Minutes in the next game so um I think I think that can be a little bit more of that but um I think it’s also just cool to look back and be able to say you know I fought through those moments and um I think guys guys take pride in that to to

Be able to play most games yeah no there’s there’s no question about it you know so you in Paulo banero it’s only taken a year plus for you guys to to to be a lethal onew combo you would be the second pair of teammates in Magic history to average 20 points per game

Right the others are sha and Penny this would be the second time in in Magic history now you can throw the ball to him without even looking you you know so well where where he’s going to be at right that was phenomenal last night by

The way he says every time he gets stuck he can Bank on you cut into the basket at the right time how just how about that uh that that that onew punch that that you’ve that you guys have worked on together yeah I think um I think we’re

Just both uh I think smart players that that love to play with their teammates and um I think we’re similar in our approach to the game that we’re very focused but but still very confident I think um I think just in that sense we’re we’re very similar in how we play um and

Then I just got to say it’s pretty easy play with someone like Paulo um you know that that draws so much attention and um at the same time wants to play for his teammates so um I think that’s it’s super impressive at his age what he’s

Doing and um no I I try to learn as much from him as I can and um you know just make the most out of the opportunity that I got I think that’s the that’s the best way I can put it and um no I’m uh I

Think we’re both well aware that that we’re in a in a situation um know where where we really lucky where we have uh um you know teammates that are giving us a lot of responsibility and trusting us in a lot of ways and I think both I just just want to pay that

Back who keeps you on your toes the most fron is it Cole playing with one shoe is it Jaylen taking the three and turning around he doesn’t even have to see it go in but I saw that that happened right in front of me and I had no idea he didn’t

Watch me too I was gonna say the same thing I watched it and I just thought well that’s a big shot we got this run going I didn’t notice it until after the game that he that he turned around like see I got that up on four I saw the

Whole thing there you go that’s the benefit it pays to be up that high Jake you can see and that’s another juice bringer right bringer of the juice and jayen Suggs for sure but those those two guys they got to be so much fun to play with and they each have different

Elements but they they they certainly can both keep you on your toes for sure they’re excitable players to watch for sure no there’s there’s something every night that um you know I didn’t expect or or never seen before and um yeah just for that I feel like we we should you

Know maybe maybe be a little bit more on TV than we have been but maybe we get to see that in the future but I think I think we have a fun group um and those two guys for sure they they keep you on your toes

Um and uh I think it’s I think it’s a little bit of crazy is is good for our team for team and I think we I think we definitely have that oh we definitely have a little bit of crazy there’s no doubt about that you’re also gonna get

All you’re also gonna get all the attention you want if you know if this thing keeps going in the right direction and and the playoffs are there you’re gonna get all the all the spotlight that you want so I’m not I’m not going to ask

You to go back and and talk about the World Championships because I know you love to do that I I would like you to look forward yes uh to the Olympics because that’s going to be something that you and your brother are gonna I I would assume be chomping at the bit to

Go do that this summer the groups just came out yesterday where I saw that Germany was with let’s see France Japan and lva right so are you guys I mean that the Olympics has to be a a a once in a-lifetime dream of you guys

Right oh for sure um I know mo mo to play in the last one but it was during Co so I know he’s very excited um to have his first I guess real Olympic experience and for me the same I think um not just the basketball part of it

But um just being part of that um you know obviously super historic event and be able to see the other sports too and just catch that whole vibe I think that’s that’s what I’m really excited for and um it it does like it doesn’t happen every every time for Germany to

To be a part of that um with the basketball team so um we’re really excited to to go uh you know meet again as a team we had we had an amazing time the last two years and hopefully we can build on that um but yeah just just

Being a part of that is is definitely something that um you know it’s not a given um for us in Germany so I’m I’m going to enjoy every second of it I imagine that you have another group thread with with your German national team members was did there was there any

Chatter after the group came out yesterday about what do we think about this what do we think about France what anything or does it just you don’t really talk about it until you guys are all back together I I haven’t talked to them I now the the lva I think lvia still has

To qualify if I’m not um so we don’t know exactly the fourth team um but we know obviously FR is going to be really tough to play and it’s in France so uh that should be extra fun and then we just played Japan last last summer too and um wasn’t an

Easy game at all um no they they they play very fast and um little unorthodox so um I remember we had we had a sometimes a hard time guarding them so um but yeah I’m like I said it’s for me right now it’s uh I haven’t really paid

Too much attention to the group or anything like that but um I know I’m I’m going to be excited and and ready to go hopefully in the summer does Dennis bring something extra when he plays you guys because he and this goes back before this goes back before you and mo

But he’s a I believe career 34% three-point shooter and then against the Orlando Magic he’s a 40% career three-point shooter did a good job last time but it always feels like is there do you guys have fun when you’re out there with Dennis I’m sure you do for

Sure we do um Dennis is uh you know one of the best competitors I’ve I’ve ever played with so um you know he’ll let you hear about it um in the game too um but yeah it’s I mean obviously Dennis is someone I looked up to as a young German

Player and now um playing together on on the national team playing playing against each other in the NBA is is really cool um for me and um yeah we we definitely have fun with it during the games listen I know you enjoyed the heck out of your Michigan Wolverines winning

A national championship uh in football it’s been a heck of a season and and the basketball team has had so much success and I know it’s kind of a shock to everybody but uh Howard uh you know obviously meant so much to you you got

To play for him and uh we had him here for a year in Orlando what what what kind of guy is Juan and I know a guy like that will will land on his feet in no time he he did great things with that Michigan program for sure um yeah obviously it’s

It’s uh never want to see that happen especially someone like Jan um no I think it’s it was just two years for me in Michigan but a super impactful experience and obviously Jan had had a major impact on me um still a lot of the sayings that um you know that he always

Used they they still you know really hit home with me today and um you know had a huge impact like I said even even on my career in the NBA now and um I think the kind of guy that he is I think everybody that knows dwan is um at first like

Taken back by how nice he is and um how easy it is to talk to him even though he’s Jaan Howard and you know he has the resume that he has he he has a way of um really giving you the feeling that that he cares about you as a person and

Obviously he did that with with his players with with any one of his players so um you know I’m I’m always really happy when I get to see him um yeah great dude great dude I think uh great coach but uh for sure an even even better

Person all right last thing and I I don’t know if we should leave this in Jake’s hands with the bringer of the juice but we we got a nickname for Mo Vagner so should we we’re trying to find a nickname for France you got fron Boogie right that started at Michigan do

You like that is that the nickname you prefer is it that’s the one you want to go with fron Boogie uh I don’t mind that one um I think I think that’s the one that stuck the most uh for now um but yeah I’m definitely definitely not opposed to it

Yeah we’ve heard the Berlin baller right the Berlin baller has been a good one right that I think that’s that’s pretty floating around not as much yeah superhero he’s not liking that one he’s not liking that just like it’s just like there’s there’s more burlin Ballers

You know what I mean I don’t know I don’t know if people will know right away that that’s me so um Dante saying you’re the Berlin baller the Berlin I appreciate that I appreciate that I appreciate that I didn’t start saying ones that I’ve seen I’m just looking I I

Always curious which one because it doesn’t stick if the person doesn’t like it you got to like it first right and Boogie yeah boogie boogie fits I emailed Chris Hunter just to see exactly where Boogie came from and it’s it’s it’s where it’s where we all think it came

From you’re super he said he was super smooth and crafty out there on the court almost like he was dancing hence the word boogie I think it’s perect it makes it makes perfect sense there you go see all right Chris definitely came up with that it was just one day just randomly

Um but it’s cool when you get a nickname you know that’s when you that’s when you really feel a part of uh of the group and everybody calls you that um it’s it’s a cool feeling so I like that one and we’re glad to see you back on

Twitter I I think fans were excited they they it was your first tweet in two years last night that was exciting did you drop one last night I didn’t see it yeah what brought you to Twitter last night I didn’t even see it it was uh it

Was for Top Shot um you know trying to get some more um you know people on Top Shot and um okay I’m On Top Shot myself so um exactly well last night’s stunk I think I reposted and um yeah I hope I hope that one lands on Top Shot maybe maybe gets a

Gets a nice moment okay all right absolutely we’ll be following the progress fron this is great uh we really appreciate you taking the time to join us it’s electric in this town and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead 13 games left and you’ve clinched at least

The play in but I I know that’s not the goal that’s the first step but you got more work to do and best of luck the rest of the way thank you guys appreciate you guys

Franz Wagner joins Dante, George and Jake to discuss the ceiling for this young Magic team, seeing his brother break out this year, playing with Paolo Banchero and why playing every night is important to him.

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