Orlando Magic fans have been waiting to see this from Franz Wagner.
A shot with confidence, precision, speed, and, most importantly, accuracy.
After struggling to make shots through the last two seasons -- and the six exhibition games before EuroBasket -- everyone is focused on Wagner and his shooting. It is the one thing he needs to add to his game to take a clear step into stardom and perhaps lift the Magic into contention.
To see Wagner get a kickout to the corner, a place where he usually parks to stay out of the way when he does not have the ball to limit his poor spacing and shooting, and calmly drain a three was an encouraging sign. To see Franz Wagner size up Jonas Valanciunas and drain a second three was also encouraging.
Through three games at EuroBasket, Wagner is 3 for 8 from three. A small but encouraging sample of Wagner's still dormant shooting potential and contributions. Wagner is at least a threat so far. That is all he needed to be.
But it is a bit tired to be obsessed with Wagner's 3-point shooting potential.
The wired take is to wonder what Wagner can look like when he does not have to provide so much 3-point shooting. What happens when he has enough shooting around him to give him space to drive and attack? What happens when Wagner is not the team's volume three-point shooter?
For the Magic last year, Franz Wagner was second on the team with 5.9 3-point attempts per game -- behind Jalen Suggs' 6.9 per game and tied with Paolo Banchero. His 3-point shot was important because he took so many of them. And he had to take so many of them because the Magic had so few shooters.
That is not the case on Germany. For Germany, Wagner has all the same on-ball responsibiltiies. He is one of the team's main attackers and aims to get to the basket.
But they do not need him to shoot. They have Andreas Obst, Dennis Schroder and Maodo Lo. This is a team full of shooters.
They made 19 threes in a 107-88 victory over Lithuania to improve to 3-0 in EuroBasket and clinch a spot in the knockout phase. They made the most threes in a EuroBasket game since 1995.
Threes have made Wagner's life easier at EuroBasket
Making threes makes life easier for everyone. Franz Wagner would certainly agree.
Wagner scored 24 points on 9-for-17 from three. He went 2 for 4 from three. But he continued to make his array of floaters and shots at the rim, attacking the paint with reckless abandon.
He is averaging 22.3 points per game and shooting a 57.0 percent effective field goal percentage, thanks to being 3 for 8 from deep. Wagner is not doing anything too different. But without the need to shoot so many threes, Wagner can focus more on attacking. He knows he has the outlet. He can cut straight to the basket.
The truth is, as much as Wagner needs to improve his 3-point shot, he also needs to be freed from the burden of taking so many threes. Especially considering most of his threes are likely to be inefficient step-backs and pull-up threes.
The Magic hope to match Germany's freedom
Part of what makes Germany such a formidable team is how many shooters they can choose from.
Their onslaught in Saturday's win over Lithuania began with a Daniel Theis three. The center went 3 for 3 on his 3-pointers. That was a sure sign that it was going to be a big day for him.
But with those shots falling, it freed Franz Wagner to attack the basket more. It took a big thing off his plate.
That is one of the reasons Wagner looks so refreshed and new. It is one of the reasons why he is able to find more driving lanes and attack the basket more successfully.
It is one of the ways his shot output could change when he returns to Orlando later in September.
The Magic have spent their offseason trying to alleviate the shot burden on their two star players. The fewer 3-point shots they need to take to keep the team's attempts up.
Part of the appeal of acquiring Desmond Bane was simply about volume. Bane averaged 6.1 3-point attempts per game last year and averaged more than 7.0 in the two previous seasons. Bane is one of the most efficient volume shooters in the league and the kind of player the entire league believes will transform the team.
The same is for Jalen Suggs. He led the team in 3-point attempts per game last year and is the volume shooter hte Magic are looking for.
His overall percentage is not strong -- just 31.4 percent from three. But he was far more effective and efficient before Paolo Banchero's injury. In an offense with more creators that leave him just responsible for shooting, Suggs could easily see another boost in percentage if his pre-injury trends continue.
All this is to say, Wagner should have more space to attack and drive. Defenses will need to worry about these shooters more. Like with Paolo Banchero, the addition of shooters -- and that does not include the addition of Tyus Jones -- should give Franz Wagner more space to attack and create.
It is the kind of space and freedom he has succeed with the national team to this point.
Wagner has not done anything spectacular since the tournament began. He has not had to with how easily Germany has won. In all three games, Germany has poured on a big run where they strung together threes to gain distance from their opponents.
Wagner has simply been solid and consistent.
Germany is looking like one of the favorites to win the tournament. And Wagner has looked inspired in helping pace their scoring. That he is able to do that without shooting threes has been encouraging. He can thrive in an environment with better shooting around him.
That is waiting for him when he returns to Orlando.