For the first time in a long time, the Orlando Magic will not have much interest in an international tournament.
Nikola Vucevic’s Montengro team was long eliminated from Olympic contention. Evan Fournier qualified for the Olympics with France thanks to their bronze-medal finish at the World Cup in 2019. Al-Farouq Aminu withdrew from Nigeria’s camp this time around to focus on his health and his contract year and it appears Chuma Okeke, who was previously listed on Nigeria’s roster pool, will not play this summer for probably the same reasons.
And it has been a long time since the Magic had Dwight Howard manning the middle for the U.S. men’s basketball team.
Jonathan Isaac, coming off an injury, did not get a return invite to the Select Team to train with the Olympic team. Instead the only Magic connection to the U.S. Olympic team is former point guard, Lakeland Magic stalwart and World Cup Qualifying hero Josh Magette.
The only Magic player who had any connection ot the Olympics needed to go through the qualifying tournament to get there. And nobody is even sure if he will be on the team next year.
Still, Moritz Wagner is still a member of the Magic and he helped lead Germany to a surprise win at one of the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
The Orlando Magic will have one representative at the Olympics after Moritz Wagner’s strong showing in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Germany.
Wagner averaged 14.3 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game to lead Germany in the victory in the tournament over powerhouses like Croatia and Brazil. Wagner scored 28 points off the bench in the clinching victory over Brazil.
This will be Germany’s first trip to the Olympics since 2008.
Germany will be in a group with Australia, Italy and Nigeria. That will not be easy for Germany to get out with Australia the clear favorites to advance to the knockout phase of the tournament. But one other spot is open.
And Wagner with his ability to step out to the 3-point line certainly helps Germany have a chance to get out and into the mix. Their opening game is July 25 against Italy.
Wagner certainly will hope for a good showing again to try to get a new contract, whether it is with the Magic or elsewhere.
Wagner had a good showing in his short stint with the team, averaging 11.0 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game with a 49.5-percent effective field goal percentage in 11 games last year. The Magic were desperate for bodies and at least some veteran presence to help the team get through the final stage of the season and Wagner performed admirably.
Was that enough to have Wagner return to the team? That is likely a decision that will come toward the end of free agency and well after the Olympics are over.
Wagner though will have the chance to show off to the rest of the league and the world with a Germany team that has to feel ambitious about its chances at the Olympics in Tokyo this summer.