We are only hours away from the NBA regular season match between Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies, to take place in a sold out Uber Arena in Berlin, with Orlando acting as local team. NBA is getting more popular in Germany thanks to the presence of local idols Franz and Moritz Wagner, brothers who are teammates in Orlando Magic and at the German national team, wining the FIBA World Championship 2023 and (in the case of Franz) Eurobasket 2025.
In the days leading to the match, the city has launched a series of initiatives, including a meet and greet opportunity with the local heroes on Wednesday afternoon... with hundreds of people in attendance and huge queues, despite the freezing weather, showing how passionate Berliners are for basketball.
Franz and Moe also made a visit to the local team Alba Berlin (where they both started in their early days of their careers), engaging with young players and joining them in training
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Franz Wagner is cleared to play in Berlin in comeback from his injury
And in the final hours before the match, Orlando Magic confirmed a great news: Franz Wagner is cleared to play, making it his first game since December 7, when the 24-year-old suffered a left ankle sprain during a game against the New York Knicks. Franz, the younger brother, has averaged 22.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game before his injury.