Joint top scorer of the match with Dennis Schroder (26 points), Franz Wagner knew how to combine art and style by offering himself two memorable dunks against France, dominated and beaten 85-71. Two actions that will remain in the history of these Olympic Games since the Magic winger first paid Victor Wembanyama in transition by opting for a left-handed dunk in order to avoid the block of Wemby who was nevertheless keeping an eye on things. But what can we say about his second dunk, an exceptional tomar where Wagner first took Nicolas Batum by surprise before going to explode Isaïa Cordinier and Mathias Lessort with an overpowering dunk.
For the interested party, it is this action which marked him the most, even if it is not every day that he will be able to dunk on the Spurs interior.
“For me, it's the second”, he replied when asked what his favorite dunk was. “I don't know who was lower honestly. But whatever, the second one was better. I don't even remember the first one, really. I think the second one was a little better.”
Germans who are afraid of nothing and no one
In this match as in this action, it was determination that transpired and that rewarded the German selection with a clear and flawless victory. This is also what Franz Wagner recalled after the match, on what makes his team strong, its warrior state of mind, which does not back down from anything, even if a Rudy Gobert, a Victor Wembanyama or even a Mathias Lessort were to stand in front of them, as happened yesterday, unfortunately for the French interiors in view of the result.
“First of all, I think we shouldn't focus too much on the name, just on the player”, he added. “You have to be in the moment, have confidence in your teammates that are behind you, and then with all these guys, be the aggressor, have an aggressive mentality and understand who you are and who you have behind you. I think there’s a very high level of confidence in this group. You can’t play timid, afraid. You have to attack them, get into them and be the aggressor on both ends of the floor.”
Rarely the last to go into battle, his brother and teammate Moritz Wagner took the opportunity to congratulate him even if he must also keep him under pressure, while the hardest part is yet to come in the final stages.
“I’m happy for him. He’s doing a great job. He works super hard and any time you see someone you love succeed, that you see their passion, it’s an incredible moment. He’s a great player. But I also have to keep him humble since I’ve been living with him. You have to control him a little bit.”
