Franz Wagner Q&A: ‘Trying to rehab the same injury three times in a year was tough for me’

June 13, 2026, 8:42 a.m. ET

Franz Wagner, the Orlando Magic forward who won gold with Germany at the 2025 Eurobasket, sat down with HoopsHype for an exclusive interview at the 19th edition of adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy.

Wagner discussed his attendance at the camp as a special guest and also opened up about the adversity of suffering the same injury three times in one season, getting hurt after coming back early to play in Berlin, and his goals heading into next year.

Injuries hit you hard this past year. How tough was that mentally and physically? Looking back, do you regret playing in the Berlin game, or did it worsen the injury?

Franz Wagner: It was very challenging. At the end of the day, if we’re not healthy as athletes, we can’t do our jobs, so that’s the most important thing. And so there’s always that pressure that you need to be out there and perform and help the team out. So not being able to do that and not seeing the results in rehab, too, when you’re going really hard, it was really frustrating for me. And basically, trying to rehab the same injury three times in a year was tough for me, always having the same kind of setback feeling. The way it went, I probably shouldn’t have played. Everybody understands the situation that it was, and honestly, I hate to say it, but I don’t really regret the decision to play. It was that special of a moment for me, and for a lot of other people who were there. So, it just happened to be a bad moment in time, probably, but maybe some people hate me for this, but it was a really special moment for my family and me. So, I was happy that I got the chance to at least be out there.

Was it awesome playing in that game right after winning EuroBasket gold? How did it feel to cap off that year of German pride?

FW: You gotta understand, basketball is a very much growing sport in Germany, and we have had great success with the National Team these last couple of years. So in my mind, I’m trying to capitalize on the moment a little bit, and the game in Berlin was a big part of that. Like I said, we need as many people, as many kids starting the sport to play, and that’s kind of the whole goal of this, to grow the sport at home. And moments like that, I know I would have killed to be at an NBA game when I was a kid. So, I know how special it was for everybody who was there.

Now that you’re in the offseason preparing for next year, what is your mindset to avoid similar injuries? Are you changing anything about your approach?

FW: For sure. It’s rehabbing first of all, the injuries that I did have, and then sort of addressing some of the patterns, maybe why injuries keep coming up. That’s the goal: that you’re not hurt at all, and not just treating symptoms when they come up, but taking preventive measures. I have a great amount of time now in the summer to do some of that.

Have you spoken to Sean Sweeney yet? What are the vibes so far, especially since he’ll be your first new head coach in the NBA?

FW: For sure, it’s very exciting for all of us. We’ve played pretty much the same core together for five years, and it’s gonna be a lot of change in the building next year. I haven’t met [Sean] Sweeney yet in person, but just texting back and forth, you can feel the excitement from him too. And it speaks to his work ethic as well as character. Getting a job that young is not easy. It hasn’t been too much; he’s still in the Finals. I also want to respect that, but we’re all really excited for next year.

After consecutive premature playoff exits, what lessons are you taking from these past few years? Are there specific routines you’re building or changing to help get the team to the next level?

FW: The hope is that you learn these lessons once, and then you’ve got it down the next year. I can just say, we got a really talented roster. We got guys with high character and dudes that want to work hard and get better. And that’s a really good starting point. And every great team has gone through disappointments in the playoffs. But, at the end of the day, you gotta get the job done, and I thought we were really close to it this last year, getting over that hump of winning a playoff series and finding a way to win a game on the road. These are baby steps on the journey, but those are things you gotta learn, especially as a young team. And, no, all we can do is kind of control each day, each moment as well as we can. As I said, prepare well for next year and then, yeah, hopefully take that next step together.

With Paolo Banchero missing extended time, your role evolved into a jack-of-all-trades. How did you handle that shifting responsibility?

FW: It can be a challenge. I know for individual coaches, too, sometimes that you kind of have to work on a little bit of everything. That’s a big part of becoming a really good player is finding your niche a little bit and the things that you want to be really good at, and because you can’t work on everything all summer, it’s really important to pick two or three things that will get you the biggest reward. And even stretches with Paolo out, they gave me a lot of confidence because I was more on the ball and was able to make a lot of decisions, and sometimes even too much so, maybe, making some mistakes. But it’s important as a player to get that opportunity. It’s important to go through those mistakes sometimes, and that’s the only way you’re really going to grow and get better. I’ve tried to embrace those moments and just do the best I can.

As you look toward next year with a new head coach and a clear core, what is the one challenge you all agree the squad must overcome to finally reach its full potential?

FW: At the end of the day, it’s having a high sense of urgency and accountability within the group, within the whole organization, and understanding that the window to win, especially with our roster and how contracts are, is small in the NBA. So we got to make sure we take advantage of that time.

What does it mean to you to be at adidas Eurocamp? 

FW: It means a lot. It’s still kind of weird seeing my sign up there, and I vividly remember being that age and like all the dreams I had and stuff I wanted to do. So, it’s not that long ago for me, so it’s kind of surreal to now be in that position. And, no, it’s really fun and makes me remember all the things I went through, kind of to get here.

And how’s it feel to be someone who people are seeking out like, ‘how do I do this, how do I do that,’ and like actually like wanting to hear your opinion and experience here at Eurocamp. 

FW: It’s kind of weird, bro, honestly. I’m still growing into that role a little bit. I vividly remember how nervous I was at camps like this, and like going up to a pro and stuff like that. So I want to do my best job, kind of take that nervousness a little bit, and I’m really excited when people ask me questions and when I get the chance to chat with them a little bit. That’s the coolest part about this, just knowing kind of both sides of it and trying to help out. Maybe relieve some of that anxiety, maybe it’s a lot of new things, and you’re young, you haven’t seen a lot, so it can be overwhelming sometimes. And I know very well how that felt. So, yeah.

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