Winning a world championship is already a significant accomplishment.
But achieving it alongside your brother, with your parents watching from the stands and sharing in the celebration? That’s a storybook ending that will be forever cherished in the hearts of basketball fans worldwide.
On Sunday night, Franz and Mo Wagner had the rare opportunity to experience this after playing pivotal roles in Germany’s historic gold medal win over Serbia in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“It’s special, especially with our parents here too. This feels so surreal. It’s unbelievable that both of us are on this team and can enjoy this together. So we’re having a great night,” said the younger Wagner.
“So special, and I’m going to join the team in celebrating right now,” added Mo.
Franz contributed 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and four assists as a starter, while Mo provided solid minutes off the bench, scoring eight points and grabbing four rebounds to help the Mannschaft secure its first-ever gold medal in the FIBA World Cup.
The younger Wagner had suffered a left ankle sprain in the team’s opening game against Japan, which forced him to miss the entire group phase campaign. He made a comeback in the knockout round, helping Germany defeat Latvia and Team USA, respectively.
On the other hand, Mo provided energy from the bench and played a pivotal role in the Mannschaft’s unbeaten 8-0 campaign in the tournament.
“It’s really tough. The competition level is so high. The whole game wasn’t easy, and I think all the guys who went out there did a great job. All 12 guys did a great job playing basketball and sticking together, and I think that’s a huge part of why we won as well,” said Franz, who was part of the All-Second Team with averages of 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.
“It’s hard work, it’s a lot of belief. You have to start with belief. If you don’t believe in that, you have to work on it. There’s an opportunity to see how much you can achieve if you believe. It’s really cool to do this with all these guys,” echoed Mo, who averaged 11.9 points and 4.8 rebounds.
And definitely, this accomplishment will be a moment shared by the Wagner household for generations to come.
