Orlando Magic wing Franz Wagner is eager to return as he recovers from a high left ankle sprain, but after coming back too early twice, he’s now focused on being fully healthy before playing again.
Wagner called the recovery a “very frustrating process”.
“Going into it, I was kind of expecting to feel really good within like 4-6 weeks of the injury,” Wagner told the Orlando Sentinel about the injury he suffered in early December against the New York Knicks.
“And obviously that wasn’t how I felt. So, I think that’s always frustrating probably not just for me (but) for everybody involved.”
He also admitted that pushing to play in the NBA Berlin Game wasn’t the best decision, even if it meant a lot to him.
“I think it was a little special circumstances with the Berlin game,” Wagner said.
“I take responsibility for playing in that game and really pushing to play in that game, and it was probably a little too soon. And then, super frustrating for me to do it a second time around and still not feel up to par prior to the All-Star break.”
Now, Wagner is committed to completing his rehab properly.
“Obviously it gets more pressing and pressing by the day, but at this point, I’ll be honest, I just want to be healthy and 100% and really finish the rehab,” Wagner added.
“Can’t do any half-rehabs anymore.”
Franz Wagner Says Rehab From High Ankle Sprain Has Been 'Very Frustrating' https://t.co/H9P3NV0C1m
— RealGM (@RealGM) March 19, 2026
