Star forward Franz Wagner appeared to suffer a significant injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s matinee game in New York, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
According to the Magic (Twitter link), Wagner has a lower left leg injury and will miss the remainder of Sunday’s contest. He will be reevaluated when the team returns to Orlando.
The injury occurred on a fast break (YouTube link). After poking the ball away from Jalen Brunson, Wagner was the first player down the court and positioned himself near the basket. Teammate Anthony Black threw up an alley-oop attempt for Wagner, but Knicks big man Ariel Hukporti swatted the pass away, fouling Wagner in the process. Wagner fell awkwardly and immediately grabbed his left knee in pain.
Hukporti, a fellow German, clearly felt badly about Wagner’s injury and checked in with him. After staying down on the floor for an extended period, Wagner was helped off the court by older brother Moritz Wagner and rookie Noah Penda. He was unable to put weight on his left leg.
It’s a potentially devastating development for the Magic, who just got Paolo Banchero back from a groin strain on Friday. Wagner was off to a terrific start to the season, averaging 23.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals on .487/.354/.823 shooting through 23 games (34.5 minutes per contest).
Wagner, who has been wearing a face mask after breaking his nose in November, was nominated for the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Month award for October/November.
That was a dangerous pass. Throwing your guy a lob when someone is chasing him full speed from close behind is like a a qb throwing a receiver a high pass across the middle.
The league has to do more to protect guys in the air at the rim. It feels like they are more protected shooting at the three-point line than they are from getting undercut or hit from behind on lobs and breakaway dunks (that little push in the back that makes a guy lose his grip on the rim is all too common and should be an ejection).
Just two bodies banging. Has nothing to do with getting undercut. Both players have a right to the ball. And Hukporti got the ball. Wagner got bumped and landed wrong. He was all alone when he hit the floor. His knee just gave out on impact. Looked like his Knee locked.
Dude, what are you on lol.
His knee didn’t give out. He landed on it. Probably some severe bruising and/or a possible fracture.
Nobody needs the fanboy slant. You’re not a member of the Knicks. No need to search for moral high ground. Try to show some empathy for the rising star on a competing team who got hurt.
Yeah tell me about it. The Voice of reason and clown of misinformation ..Your self serving DA is still just a little boy cuddled up in a corner. Keep trying child
Crazy point we have gotten to now where I see “lower leg injury” but it’s then a relief to find out it was ‘just’ a knee injury …
Looked to me like his knee locked on impact. Thats more a bone on bone thing. Still could be serious. I hope he’s just banged up. With no ligament damage. You go to the rim you gotta go strong. Just to protect yourself. That play was a foul on Hukporti. Cause even though he got the ball. He banged his body in the air. Just bad luck man. I know Hukporti feels terrible. That’s his best player from his country. They are teammates on a good Germany team. Hoping for the best.
Sucks you get Banchero back. And now this …..
and also, they lost!!