Franz Wagner shines for Germany at FIBA EuroBasket Championship

There's no slowing down the Franz Wagner hype train.

The former Michigan basketball star and current Orlando Magic starting forward continues to show that he not only belongs in the pros but has the potential for a long NBA career.

Wagner, a German native who, as a teenager, played professionally in his home country, returned home to play for his home country in the FIBA EuroBasket Championship, a national team tournament exclusive to European teams. The tournament took place in four different cities across Europe, including Berlin.

Germany finished in third place among the 24 qualified teams, losing to eventual champion Spain, 96-91, in the semifinal.

Wagner showed why many believe he's a future star as the recently-turned 21-year-old averaged 15.2 points per game along with four rebounds.

The former Wolverine's highlight night came against Lithuania, led by NBA center Jonas Valanciunas, scoring 32 points and handling eight rebounds, leading Germany in both categories in a two-point win.

Wagner's attention now turns to the NBA's regular season, which begins on Oct. 19 in Detroit, when the Magic take on the Pistons, as he looks to build off a rookie campaign that saw him average the fourth-most points (15) per game among all NBA rookies.

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