Franz Wagner does not necessarily ask for the spotlight.
He has a more reserved personality, leaving most of the boisterousness to his brother. Wagner is an extreme competitor and will do his share of talking on the court. When that intensity and aggression rise, everyone feels it.
But one of Wagner's benefits is that he can slink into the background and play off others. He is as comfortable scoring off cuts as he is taking the ball at the top of the key and trying to attack.
Wagner is fine filling in gaps and playing as a bit player, even if fans always want more from him.
The Magic learned last year what happens when they push him to the front. Paolo Banchero's absence due to an oblique tear changed everything for Franz Wagner. He became a leading star and set the bar for what was possible.
Wagner is back in the spotlight now.
Paolo Banchero left Wednesday's game in the second quarter with a left groin strain. The Magic said Banchero underwent an MRI to confirm the sprain and will be out Friday. His return will be dependent on how he responds to treatment.
It is safe to assume that Banchero will be out for a little bit -- how long is hard to say, but it should be multiple games. The Magic have no reason to rush him back right now.
Everyone is going to have to step up. No one as much as Franz Wagner. All eyes are back on him.
He understood that in Wednesday's game, scoring 20 of his 28 points after Banchero's injury. The Magic were +14 in those minutes as the Magic expanded his role and expanded their lead to its 17-point final margin.
It was a balanced effort, but Wagner carried the largest burden. It is something he did last year in Banchero's absence. And he slotted back in, aggressively exploiting mismatches and getting downhill to guide the team to the win.
"It's Franz. We've seen what a competitor he is, what a winner he is to find a way to get the job done no matter what," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Wednesday's game. "There was a point in the third quarter where he told me I'm good. That's who he is. He is about trying to find ways to win, doing the right thing throughout the game just because he cares about winning and cares about his teammates."
Wagner elevated his game last year in Banchero's absence. The team will need to see him do that again.
Wagner is back in the spotlight after sort of a slow start to the season.
A different start
Everyone has had to sacrifice some to try to integrate Desmond Bane into the lineup. All three of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane have seen their touches, usage and shot attempts fall from last year.
Wagner has not had a slow start by any means. He is averaging 22.5 points per game (down from 24.2 per game last year but up from his 2024 season). He is shooting 47.4 percent on 16.0 field goal attempts per game.
Wagner's usage has dropped from 31.0 percent to 24.9 percent. That was expected with Bane's addition, of course. But that is still lower than it was in 2024.
Wagner has always fought a perception that he is not involved enough in the offense.
Wagner still gets his touches. But he has been far more effective in post-ups (1.364 points per possession on 22 possessions, according to Synergy data) than in pick and rolls (0.772 points per possession). He has needed others to set him up.
Wagner is devastating in transition, of course.
But as the Magic have struggled to find their groove, Wagner has at times been left behind because they cannot get him moving.
With Banchero out for some time, Wagner will be forced onto the ball more. Orlando will have to mix in some of his off-ball work with more pick-and-rolls.
The Magic's offense will have to shift and change again.
Back into the role
If there is good news with Paolo Banchero's absence, it is that the Orlando Magic have been here before.
When Paolo Banchero tore his oblique last October, everyone wondered if Franz Wagner would be able to step up into that role. Everyone thought the Magic's season was sunk as Wagner had to figure out this new role.
Wagner put together a good case to be an NBA All-Star for the first time during that run. And likely would have been if not for his own oblique injury costing him 20 games.
In the 20 games between Banchero's injury and Wagner's injury, Wagner averaged 26.1 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game and 6.3 assists per game. He shot 45.7 percent on 20.5 field goal attempts per game. He recorded eight of his 14 30-point games during that span.
That included his star-making game-winning three against the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a stretch where the Magic won 12 of 13 games with a pair of six-game win streaks.
Just as that moment helped push Wagner to the front, so too will this moment.
Help on the way
The difference this year is he should have more help.
Desmond Bane had a major boost in Ja Morant's absence last year with the Memphis Grizzlies. He gives the Orlando Magic another playmaking scorer who can scale up.
It should help Jalen Suggs be far more effective. Stepping into a primary scorer role hurt his efficiency. He should still be effective as a shooter in the long run with those two.
Lineups with Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs have a +13.4 net rating (122.6 offensive rating and 109.2 defensive rating) in 126 minutes excluding garbage time minutes, according to DataBallr.
All but 11 of those minutes have come with Banchero on the floor, too. This is a group that is largely unproven without Banchero also eating up attention.
This is new territory even if the team is comfortable it can withstand this kind of injury.
Orlando found a way to make it work last year, going 13-7 in Banchero's absence before Wagner went out. Wagner will have to turn that part of his game on once again.
But the Magic have been here before. Wagner has been here before. And he and the team should be able to be successful for however long Banchero is out.