The Orlando Magic have made a resounding statement at the expense of the Boston Celtics. Whether or not they manage to win this series, the Magic have claimed a game from the defending NBA champions with a formula that they'll be sticking to for years to come.
One of the driving forces behind that success and the glory that may yet come has been Franz Wagner—a player who's forcing the NBA to reconsider its standards for stardom.
Wagner was arguably an injury away from being an All-Star and only five games shy of a potential All-NBA nod. Nevertheless, he finished the 2024-25 regular season averaging 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 three-point field goals made per game in 60 appearances.
Unfortunately, Wagner has yet to receive the general praise his play seemingly warrants due to one area of inefficiency: Three-point shooting.
Since Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors expedited the three-point revolution, players who struggle from distance have been effectively shunned from star conversations. The general thought process seems to revolve around the notion that said players compromise spacing to the point that teams can't win at a high level with them on the court.
After shooting 28.5 percent from beyond the arc in 2023-24 and 29.5 percent in 2024-25, Wagner has become a victim of those conversations—a trend that must end immediately.
Franz Wagner doesn't need a three-ball for stardom
Wagner is making the most of his second career postseason appearance. He's been a thorn in the Celtics' side, averaging 26.7 points, 5.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game through the first three contests of the series.
That includes Game 2, when Wagner scored 25 points on 10-of-20 shooting during a competitive 109-100 loss in Boston.
Game 3 was the evolution of what Wagner brings to the table, as he played a starring role during their shocking 95-93 victory. He posted 32 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and two steals, thus accounting for 50 of his team's 95 points.
Some will point to his inefficient shooting, but Wagner was fearless when that was exactly what Orlando needed him to be—and scored 10 points in the fourth quarter because of it.
It was the type of performance that analytics might not necessarily support, but proved vital nonetheless. A player was asked to take over for a team that was struggling to put points on the board, and they stepped up to the plate despite the opposing defense forcing them into misses that could've demoralized them.
It's the thin line that Wagner walks between the value that analytics provide and the grey area they must acknowledge—an area he effectively lives in.
Yes, it would be ideal for Wagner to become a more efficient three-point shooter and to avoid an 11-of-27 night like he had in Game 3. Context is crucial, however, and there's nothing more important to consider than what the team needs in specific situations. Sometimes, that's a high-level scorer who can be a difficult-shot maker.
With Wagner, Orlando has a scorer who's willing to take the difficult shots no matter what it means for his slash line—and they're one game shy of improbably evening a series with the defending champions because of it.