Is Franz Wagner playing in the 2024 Paris Olympics?

Franz Wagner, and his brother Mo, will be playing for Germany at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Dennis Schroder will be playing as well and Franz and Schroder will be looking to lead the German national team to glory once again after capturing the gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Fellow NBA center Daniel Theis will join them, and that will make up the NBA core of their roster.

The rest of the squad is full of quality overseas professionals. Former second-round pick who played for the Wizards, Lakers, and Raptors before returning to Europe, Isaac Bonga, will join the German squad. Andreas Obst, who lit up Team USA at the 2023 semifinals, returns to the squad as do regulars Maodo Lo, Johannes Thiemann, and Johannes Voigtmann.

Germany favored to make some noise in Paris with Franz Wagner

Oscar Da Silva, Niels Giffey, and Nick Weiler-Babb who all played Division I basketball in the states for high-level programs will fill out the rest of the roster. The Germans are coached by Gordon Herbert, who has received interest from multiple overseas clubs to take over their programs. The CHIBA Jets and Herbert had signed a deal, but Herbert opted to terminate it even though he met with club officials in May.

Herbert will also be leaving his post as head coach of the German national team after the Olympics. This job prevented him from taking over LDLC ASVEL during the 2023-24 EuroLeague season. With Herbert reported to become a free agent, EuroLeague club Bayern Munich has significant interest in bringing him in following the departure of Pablo Laso to Baskonia. EuroLeague newcomers Paris Basketball are also still without a head coach.

Germany have been placed in Group C of the Olympics with hosts France, and Japan and Brazil. They should advance from this group but will need to take all opponents seriously. Japan will have Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe, and Brazil are known for their ability to get upset wins in international tournaments. Germany's first game will be on Saturday, July 27, against Japan.