Unofficially endorsed as a candidate for the Bay Area’s 2025 NBA All-Star Game by the Los Angeles Lakers’ coach before their early-season faceoff, Franz Wagner couldn’t have selected a more poetic scoring method for validating his opposition’s praise. One presumably-deep-range bucket away from securing victory in an arena with which seven others had tried and failed, Wagner adjusts first the difficulty, navigating a switch from Anthony Davis to Cam Reddish. Deliberate in his steps, the Orlando Magic star then works a size-up dribble and stepback in rhythmic motion, coolly balancing himself into a 26-foot, game-clinching trifecta. Wagner’s long shot helped Orlando overcome a potentially-lengthy list of setbacks, namely a back-to-back, a three-game Wild West road trip, and the absence of Wagner's already-verified All-Star teammate. Superior in their execution and late-game shot-making, though, the Magic secured a signature victory on November 21, 2024, with Wagner — boasting efficient 27-6-6 averages over his last 10 — maintaining the warmth of his offensive heatwave. In a career night-type showing, Wagner’s final box score encouraged 37 points (on 13-of-26 shooting), including 15 in the fourth, followed by six rebounds, 11 assists, four steals, and four 3-pointers. · Nov 22, 2024