Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner ‘can’t wait’ to get to work with Magic

Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner ‘can’t wait’ to get to work with Magic
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner hadn’t met each other prior to the NBA draft on Thursday, but the two players now share the same goal: To help the Magic win by any means necessary.

The paths Suggs and Wagner each took to arrive in Orlando vastly varied.

Suggs, who was the fifth overall pick, played basketball and football growing up. He was the first athlete ever to become both Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football in Minnesota before eventually settling on basketball. He then went on to play one season at Gonzaga.

He was named a consensus second-team All-American after averaging 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals in 30 games. He helped lead the Zags to the national title game after draining the game-winning shot over UCLA in the Final Four.

The 6-foot-4 guard was widely expected to be taken fourth by the Toronto Raptors. Instead, the Raptors chose Florida State guard Scottie Barnes, opening the door for Suggs to fall to the Magic. The unexpected drop was not a problem for Suggs.

“I was so happy. I was happy for Scottie in Toronto,” Suggs said on Friday. “Everything was out of my control (on Thursday). There was nothing I could do sitting down at the table that could change anyone’s opinion on what they decided to do. The balls fell the right way and I ended up in a great organization with even better people. I couldn’t be more excited.”

On the other hand, Wagner, who was the eighth overall pick, was born in Germany and played professionally before committing to Michigan for two seasons. His brother, Mo, played 11 games with the Magic at the end of last season.

Wagner was named to the All-Big Ten second team after averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, three assists, 1.3 steals and one blocked shot. He helped Michigan advance to the Sweet 16 and would have faced Suggs and Gonzaga in the Elite Eight had they won.

Despite different backgrounds, Suggs and Wagner bring the same qualities to the table.

“They play for their teammates and they play to win and that’s what they are going to bring to our team,” Magic president Jeff Weltman said on Friday. “We just felt that a lot of things broke our way (on Thursday). We are very excited to be here.”

From afar, Suggs and Wagner had a lot of respect for each other. They had never crossed paths prior to the NBA draft but that is expected to change now, of course. Separately, they each carved out their respective places in the draft, and now find themselves as top 10 picks.

The two players arrived in Orlando on Friday and were introduced to the media and fans alike. They now have much of the summer to get acquainted with each other before next season, something they are ready for.

“I watched a bunch of Gonzaga games so I know all about Jalen’s game,” Wagner said. “I’m really excited to play with a dynamic player like him. It was a lot of fun watching him play. I wish we would have played him in the NCAA Tournament but I’m really excited to play with him.”

Suggs and Wagner join a young roster in the beginning stages of a rebuild. The Magic traded two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline last season, along with Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier. The roster now features nine players under the age of 25.

They figure to be an important piece of the puzzle as Orlando looks to build toward the future. With a roster that includes Markelle Fultz, Jonathan Isaac, Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton and others, the front office appears to have constructed a strong foundation.

“Everybody here wants to work, wants to win and do whatever it takes to do that,” Suggs said. “I think from top to bottom, (there are) guys who can do multiple things and you start to put those things together on the court and the more comfortable we get with each other, the more dangerous we’re going to become. I can’t wait to get working.”

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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