It’s time to hand the keys to Franz Wagner

Dennis Schroder has been Germany’s unquestioned leader through this current golden age. At EuroBasket 2025, in the medal rounds, it’s time to defer. Franz Wagner is their best option against Finland and whoever they face on Sunday.

It’s good to be Germany. It’s really and extraordinarily good. In the last four summers, they have reached at least the semi-finals of every major tournament. Bronze at EuroBasket 2022 was followed by gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. That a fourth place finish in the Olympics in Paris was considered a disappointment speaks volumes about how far they have come in basketball.

No man, not even Gordie Herbert, has been as crucial to that growth and success as Dennis Schroder. In the decade that has followed Dirk Nowitzki’s retirement, he has brought their level of play to a point of consistency never seen before. Now, it’s time for his greatest admirer to take charge. Franz Wagner needs to be unleashed to make the most of this opportunity at EuroBasket 2025.

This has been a journey

Berlin, 10 September 2025 – Germany are playing Spain in a winner take all game to make the last 16 of EuroBasket. Defeat means the end of Dirk Nowitzki’s time with the national side. Danke Dirk banners hang in the stands. Yet it’s not Nowitzki who looks like he’s about to save Germany with seconds to spare.

Down three, it’s a 21 year old Dennis Schroder that drives and draws a three point shooting foul. Then came the not-like-this moment. His miss, at least it wasn’t the last one, draws groans. The youngster had nearly brought Germany back from the brink only to have his moment fail him.

In truth this wasn’t exactly a Germany team that anyone was banking on. A 14 year old Franz Wagner probably didn’t realise what Dennis would go on to do but he certainly knew a leader when he saw one. The time of German basketball was coming.

Brick by brick

Pre-pandemic, Moe and Franz Wagner were spoken of in Europe as shining lights of Alba Berlin’s academy. That they would step up to the level they would as professionals probably caught some in Europe by surprise.

All the while, Dennis Schroder was building his legacy with the national team. He led Germany to the quarter finals of EuroBasket 2017, with their crowning achievement being a surgical dismantling of France in the round of 16. This was recognised as a big jump for Germany.

Their stumble at the 2019 FIBA World Cup looked like it was a matter for Germany just finding their level. They were in that 12-6 range of Europe, you didn’t want to see them in a last 16 game but you weren’t expecting a threat come the real business end of proceedings.

BallinEurope is ramping up its YouTube game this season. Subscribe to our channel now for player exclusives, analysis videos, and much more.

The era

So the story goes, and it’s largely accepted as true, Dennis Schroder and Gordie Herbert had a personal chat early in the latter’s tenure as head coach. They talked out their issues as men and came to an understanding. That ability to communicate, whether it came from the aforementioned meeting or not, would prove telling through this golden era.

Berlin, 18 September 2022 – Germany had a dream tournament in front of home fans. First in Cologne, then through the knockout phase in Berlin. Spain, who went on to win the 2015 title, were their undoing again. Hours before Spain won the title, again, Germany took gold.

In the mixed zone afterwards, there was only one man that Franz Wagner wanted to talk about. Right away he was praising Dennis and saying he should win MVP. The 21 year old was in awe. We’d only need to wait a year to be truly wowed by him.

BallinEurope has a book, a real life actual book called I Like it Loud, and you can buy it on Amazon now. It’s here as a book and here in Kindle form.

The announcement

Manila, 8 September 2023 – This is how you beat the USA. You decided that you are deeper than them, you can outsmart them, and that you are just plain better. Dennis Schroder was the leader but Franz Wagner became the star. The final scoreline was tight but nobody could deny that Germany earned the W.

Two days later, in a more traditional battle, Franz Wagner and Dennis Schroder would become world champions. The latter was named MVP of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. I voted for Franz but Franz, if he had a vote, would have cast his for Dennis. His respect for the national leader is strong.

Still, Wagner knew what this moment meant and what it could mean. In Paris a year later, Germany would fall to a France side that found its rhythm in the knockout rounds after a less than convincing group phase. Serbia would get revenge in the bronze game. Herbert would step away from the job, focusing on leading Bayern Munich instead.

Franz Wagner plays at a superstar level yet still hasn’t got the recognition he deserves.

The passing

With Dennis Schroder, there’s always enough of the ball for everyone to work with. That is somewhat the problem. While Schroder gets his fill of shots, he is a most giving ball handler. Were Schroder a ball hog, Franz Wagner might have thrown his weight around by now.

On the floor for Germany, anyone with sight can see that Franz is the man now. Dennis is still, by some margin, the second best option but that’s just it. He needs to be the second option. Schroder is also likely willing to be but he needs to see it from Franz. That’s not Dennis being polite or huffy. He knew that he had to take the mantle, to impose himself as Germany’s leader on the floor.

Schroder knows the best option for Germany is for Wagner to take that role the same way. Franz has been elevated from only truly appreciated by Germany and Orlando fans to having a lot of people asking why more people aren’t talking about him. This is the time. Against a crowd that will be fully behind Finland, there may not be a better opportunity for Franz to do it.

The post It’s time to hand the keys to Franz Wagner appeared first on BallinEurope.