Facing a tougher field at the Olympics basketball tournament, the current world champions, Germany, have at least one big reason to believe they can defend their top status and capture a historic Olympic gold. Franz Wagner, arriving in Paris a far cry from his form in Manila last year, might be a big part of that belief.
Johannes Voigtmann boxed out Rudy Gobert and grabbed the rebound after Evan Fournier's miss. He pushed the ball up the court, and Franz Wagner received it, sprinting coast to coast.
Wagner outran Andrew Albicy, one of France's quickest guards, and found himself face-to-face with Victor Wembanyama at the free-throw line. Typically, Wemby in the paint means no shot attempt—nine times out of ten, he's blocking it.
But Wagner, in the fashion of a triple jumper, had a plan. Starting his move from the free throw line, he launched off his right leg, then his left, and took flight.
Wembanyama was already airborne, the prosecutor of France's rim airspace, ready to hand down a harsh sentence. Usually, the punishment for such a breach is swift and brutal.
Not this time. Wagner had planned to dunk with both hands but switched mid-air, holding the ball in his left hand, making it harder for Wemby to block. He slammed down a reverse dunk.
Dear lord, the media tribune exploded, and Pierre Mauroy Stadium went into a stunned silence, trying to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
Germany's bench reaction was priceless. Players and staff leaped from their seats, almost storming the court to celebrate Wagner's dunk. Well, except for one guy, who turned away and started calmly folding towels.
This was one of those World Champs moments.
Franz Wagner's confidence and power in Paris are a step up even from last year's World Cup, where he played a crucial role despite being sidelined by injury for most of Germany's title run. He made a tournament-changing return for the quarterfinals, though he showed some understandable hesitation against Latvia.
He was solid against the USA and Serbia, averaging 20.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists, but his shooting was off, hitting just 38% from the field and 28.5% from three.
But fast forward to Paris, Wagner is averaging 21.7 points over the first three games with a solid 51.1% field goal percentage. He's nearly unstoppable inside the arc, making 71.4% of his two-point shots. His three-point shot still needs work, though, at just 21.1%.
His turnover rate has dropped from the World Cup (2.5), and he boasts the team's best +/- rating (+12.3), hitting a team-high +15 against France.
Coming off his best NBA season yet with the Orlando Magic, where he averaged 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, Wagner has helped push Orlando to their highest seed in 14 years.
"I'm very happy for him. He works super hard, and it's incredible to see a loved one succeed," Moritz Wagner praised his brother Franz after the France game, in which he scored 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists in 33 minutes.
"Yeah, he's a great player. But I gotta keep him humble since I live with him," Moritz added to BasketNews with a smile. "If he has a bad game, he'll definitely watch those dunks on YouTube at night," he joked.
Franz's dunks perfectly illustrated what this German team is all about: brimming with confidence, flashiness, and talent, tackling every challenge with an unstoppable force.
But let's not get it twisted—this isn't a one-man team. Germany's strength lies in its collective effort.
Dennis Schroder's leadership, both in scoring and facilitating, is crucial.
With 26 points on a stellar 10-of-17 shooting (58.8%), 4 rebounds, and 9 assists in 33 minutes, Schroder easily reminded everyone why he was the World Cup 2023 MVP.
Crucially, this clear leadership role and the full backing from both coach and teammates have elevated Schroder's game to another level. This confidence is reflected in his shooting, as he's hitting 70% from two and 40.9% from three this tournament
"Franz and Dennis are the two racehorses. They can create their own shots, create for others, and create plays. So it's pretty amazing to have two of those guys on the perimeter," Herbert recalled.
But it wasn't just his offensive prowess that impressed—his impact on the defensive end was equally remarkable.
His defensive on-ball pressure, along with Isaac Bonga's help and sharp shooting from the corners, created a real offensive crisis for France.
The frontline, with Daniel Theis and Moritz Wagner, brings energy, physicality, and intensity to both ends. They pushed Wembanyama out of his comfort zone, forcing him to shoot long-range shots and wrestle for positioning.
"We did a really good job on Wembanyama, Fournier, and Batum. But it was a team effort," coach Gordon Herbert said. "You have to be physical. Give Wembanyama space, and he's an amazing player."
Wembanyama scored 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting, 12 rebounds, and 3 turnovers, struggling until the game's last minutes when he scored his last 7 points with Germany already having a 20-point lead.
Even Johannes Voigtmann, the team's indispensable glue guy from last year's World Cup, played his part to perfection.
He had his usual Voigtmann stat line with 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 25 minutes, but the highlight of his night was pushing Wembanyama away from the basket as the Frenchman tried to post up. As Wemby reached for the pass, Voigtmann swooped in from behind and stole the ball, showcasing his savvy and hustle.
Defensively, they bring top-level intensity, physicality, size, and relentless effort, making them a tough matchup to break down
"Focus on the player, not the name," Moritz advised on defending Wembanyama. "Trust your teammates and be the aggressor. There's a high level of trust in this group."
"Be the more physical, the more aggressive team," Moritz Wagner emphasized. We have some big guys down there. You can't play scared. You have to attack and be the aggressor on both ends of the floor."
Germany started their campaign with wins over Japan (97-77) and Brazil (86-73), but the victories weren't that convincing. It wasn't until their match against the hosts that Germany truly showcased their World Champion status.
"In the first two games, we struggled a bit at times. We're still in the process of getting better as a team, and today was a good step forward. We need to build on this," coach Gordon Herbert said to BasketNews.
Germany's early struggles might have stemmed from playing against weaker opponents like Brazil and Japan. The real test came against France in front of 27,000 fans, mostly rooting for the hosts.
Pierre Mauroy Stadium was the loudest it's been all summer, and that's saying something, with every game played in a sold-out arena. The noise levels were so intense that the neighbors might have called the police a few times.
The volume reached a peak at the start of the fourth quarter when France launched an 11-0 run, and the roar from the crowd was nothing short of deafening.
Despite the wild crowd, Germany maintained its composure, defending its lead and asserting its dominance without any doubt, 85-71.
"We've always been confident. We're not here to lose, that's a big characteristic of this group. But my head isn't there right now. Honestly, it's so emotionally taxing that I give myself a few hours or days to relax before fully immersing myself again," Moritz Wagner revealed.
Germany was churning out highlight after highlight, playing with flair and showing off their confidence while thoroughly enjoying their dominant basketball.
Offensively, Germany is brilliant both in transition and in the half-court. Their skill level, variety of set plays, off-ball movement, and high basketball IQ—all combined with players who excel in their roles—seem straight out of a playbook
The home crowd reacted, with their excitement occasionally turning into boos, but it turned into a field day for TV producers, FIBA photographers, and everyone watching this showtime basketball spectacle on TV.
When asked if it's challenging to manage the Wagner brothers' emotions, Herbert had a smile-ready answer: "I'd rather try to tame a lion than teach a cat how to roar, so to speak."
Dennis Schroder has firmly established himself as the leader of this flashy, confident group, setting the tone both on and off the court. His signature mask celebration after hitting a three-pointer has become a fun team ritual.
"Dennis came up with it this preseason, and ever since, I've been doing it. It's fun," Isaac Bonga revealed to BasketNews. "We made a joke about it during practice, and it stuck."
Wagner's latest highlight-reel moment in the third quarter had his teammates jumping out of their seats while Schroder calmly sipped water on the bench, keeping his cool.
This might have been coincidental, but Schroder avoided the post-game flash interviews, staying silent after Germany's big performance.
Reflecting on last year's World Cup, Wagner recalled, "I thought if I had to pick one game, it was the one before the World Cup when we were up double digits on Team USA in the third and let it slip away. But with Dennis, who's focused on nothing less than gold, it raises everyone else's level."
Listening to Wagner, it's clear why. Schroder might have skipped media availability after a standout performance to avoid the spotlight and focus on the final three steps in Paris that will define this generation.
Germany is on the verge of cementing its legacy as one of the most dominant eras in national team basketball. After clinching bronze at EuroBasket 2022 and gold at the 2023 World Cup, it now has three more games to secure Olympic gold.
But this year's competition is tougher than last year's World Cup. The USA has assembled an NBA star-studded squad, Canada has strengthened after their strong showing in the Philippines, and Serbia has Nikola Jokic back, with Giannis leading Greece.
Germany is actually the best TEAM in the Olympics.
Sure, the USA boasts a roster packed with NBA stars and individual talent. Yes, Canada has gelled so well on the court that they're a serious gold medal contender. And yes, Nikola Jokic is an outstanding leader for a formidable Serbian squad. But no one matches Germany's collective prowess on both ends of the floor at such a high level.
But for Germany to maintain their world champion status amid this fierce competition, having a core group from 2023, along with standouts like a healthy and improved Franz Wagner, is crucial.
"I feel like our attitude is to take it day by day. We don't want to look too far ahead, and Coach Herbert does a great job keeping us focused," Isaac Bonga told BasketNews. "Franz shows incredible patience, whether it's waiting for the right moment or making the right pass. And Dennis—watching him improve every year is amazing."
Patience is key—patience in playing team basketball, reading situations, and steadily moving towards their biggest goals.
"We're good at staying in the moment and not letting it overwhelm us. Gordon [Herbert] leads by example, being locked in and focusing on what we need to do each day. After the tournament, it takes a while to grasp what's actually happened," Moritz Wagner added, highlighting their coach's mentality.
"We play Tuesday. Today is Saturday, right? So I got a weekend. I got a little bit emotional. That's the biggest thing. We'll be fine, but managing emotions is crucial," Mo Wagner said, reflecting on the importance of winding down after intense games like the one against France.
Watching him navigate this emotional rollercoaster on and off the court feels almost otherworldly.
"I heard tennis is on Sunday. I'm excited about that. I'd love to check it out," he mused, considering other Olympic events to clear his mind before the knockout stages. "Tennis is definitely a top pick. I wanted to see Simone Biles, but that's off the table now. We'll see how much energy I have and how much time I can spare."
Like what we are doing? You can express your gratitude here.
