Franz Wagner fell in love with basketball as a kid in Germany when he went with his older brother, Moritz, to watch an under-19 game in Berlin.

The Wagner brothers hadn’t even thought about playing professionally at that point. Local hoops was their first exposure to the sport and they were hooked.

Fellow German Dirk Nowitzki became their connection to the NBA. Watching documentaries on Dwyane Wade and Kevin Garnett got their attention.

Now they’re in their fifth season as teammates on the Orlando Magic.

“I remember our grandparents built a little basket in front of the house, and we would always play no matter the weather,” Moe Wagner said. “And then I think Franz got a LeBron James Cavaliers jersey for Christmas, and I got a Kevin Garnett jersey, one of those nonauthentic fake jersey

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