No All-Star in Orlando

Orlando, FL— Both of the Orlando Magic’s young emerging stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner were not selected to the 2025 NBA All-Star team.

Banchero’s Play this Season

Paolo Banchero after playing the first five games of the season would proceed to miss the next 34 games with a torn oblique, severely hindering his chances of making the All-Star team.

Despite the injury, Banchero in 14 games this season has averaged a career-high 23.9 points, and 7.9 rebounds, and has been overall rather efficient with an 18.9 PER (player efficiency rating). 

Wagner’s Play this Season

Franz Wagner had a much stronger case for being selected to the first All-Star game of his career as he helped carry the Magic alongside Jalen Suggs in the absence of Paolo Banchero. 

Wagner, in the 20 games he played without Banchero averaged 26.1 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.0 rebounds while earning the first NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week award of his career, and hitting a signature game-winner on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers. 

In the post-game in Philadelphia, Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley shouted, “All-Star” in reference to Franz and his play, prior to him going down with injury. 

Wagner, on the season in 28 games has put together career-highs across the board averaging 24.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and a very efficient 22.4 PER. Wagner was able to keep Orlando afloat in the Eastern Conference with a 13-7 in the absence of Banchero and had a very compelling case to make the All-Star team.

Eastern Conference Reserves

The full list of the Eastern Conference reserves includes Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Pascal Siakiam, Tyler Herro, Damian Lillard, Jaylen Brown, and Cade Cunningham all of whom are very deserving of their selections.

Hopefully, both Paolo and Franz can use this as extra motivation for themselves and to continue to push this team to greater heights. The Magic are now set to take on the Portland Trail Blazers this evening at the Moda Center at 10 P.M. EST.