Magic Star Comments on Franz Wagner's Latest Setback

Orlando will be without one of its best players indefinitely due to a recurring ankle injury.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner has been plagued by a nagging high ankle sprain this season, missing significant time due to the injury. After returning to play in Europe and then missing another nine games, Wagner has suffered another setback and will be sidelined for at least the next month. Magic co-star Paolo Banchero emphasized the importance of Wagner to the team and the need for him to fully recover before returning to action.

Why it matters

The Magic have struggled without Wagner on the floor this season, posting a negative net rating and seeing significant declines in both offensive and defensive performance. His absence has put more pressure on Banchero and the rest of the team to step up, and the Magic will need to make up ground if they want to avoid a second straight play-in tournament appearance.

The details

Wagner, who is averaging a career-best 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, has now missed 24 games due to the high ankle sprain. After returning for two games, including one in his home country of Germany, he missed another nine contests before attempting to come back again. However, the injury has flared up once more, and Wagner will now be out for at least the next month, possibly longer.

  • Wagner initially suffered the high ankle sprain in December 2023, causing him to miss 16 games.
  • He returned in late January 2024 but then missed another nine games after re-aggravating the injury.
  • Wagner played in two more games before the latest setback, which will sideline him for at least the next month.

The players

Franz Wagner

A 24-year-old forward for the Orlando Magic who has been plagued by a recurring high ankle sprain this season.

Paolo Banchero

A co-star of the Orlando Magic who emphasized the importance of Wagner to the team and the need for him to fully recover before returning to action.

Jamahl Mosley

The head coach of the Orlando Magic, who praised Wagner's toughness, resilience, and work ethic, and acknowledged the team's struggles without him on the floor.

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What they’re saying

“He's one of our key pieces of our team, and we need him out there. At the same time, we don't want him coming back before he's ready. It's unfortunate that he's came back twice (from) being out and had to be out again. We want him to take his time, however long that is and get all the way healthy. We don't want him out there if he's not feeling like himself. So, I think that's the biggest thing is just letting him take his time to get healthy.”

— Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic Co-Star (Twitter)

“There aren't words to describe what Franz means to this team. His toughness, his resilience, his desire and want to get back on the court -- every person on this team knows his work ethic and his character factor for this group. I talked to him last night and his ability to just want to be on the floor -- that's what's the hardest, but also understanding that he knows how capable this group is of achieving the things we say we want to do.”

— Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic Head Coach (Media Availability)

What’s next

The Magic will have to make up ground in the standings while Wagner recovers, and the team will closely monitor his progress with the goal of having him return to full health before the playoffs.

The takeaway

The Magic's struggles without Wagner highlight his importance to the team's success this season. His absence has put more pressure on Banchero and the rest of the roster, and the team will need to find a way to stay competitive until Wagner can fully recover and return to the lineup.