Basketball - Contract and insurance: Three NBA pros are missing from Germany
The German basketball national team cannot present itself to its fans at the start of the Olympic preparation as hoped in full strength. NBA professionals Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner and Daniel Theis were not present at the World Champion in Cologne against Olympic host France, as the German Basketball Federation (DBB) announced shortly before the game.
The reason is the contract situation of the three professionals, who have not been able to sign a new contract in the NBA yet. This causes problems with the insurance. A similar case occurred before the Olympics 2021 with the current captain Dennis Schröder, who therefore missed the tournament in Tokyo.
The Wagner brothers have reportedly agreed to an extension with the Orlando Magic, but they can only sign the notarized documents at a certain point in time. The duo is expected to be there on Monday (21.00 Uhr) for the return match in Montpellier. Whether Theis can play then is open.
Franz Wagner becomes top earner
Above all, Franz Wagner is rising to the top earners among German professional athletes with his deal. According to ESPN and "The Athletic", the younger of the two Wagner brothers is supposed to extend for five years until 2030 and receive a minimum of 224 million Dollars (around 206 million Euro) for it.
The deal could potentially bring the 22-year-old a maximum of 270 million Dollars (approximately 249 million Euro). Wagner could thus earn more money with a contract than NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki in his 21-year career in the best basketball league in the world.
In their absence, the German Basketball National Team started their Olympic preparation against the Olympic host nation, France, in Cologne without NBA professionals Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner, and Daniel Theis. The German Basketball Federation (DBB) stated that the absence was due to contractual issues and insurance complications, as none of the three players had signed new NBA contracts. This issue was previously encountered with captain Dennis Schröder before the Olympics 2021, causing his absence from the Tokyo tournament.
Despite the ongoing contract negotiations, the Wagner brothers reportedly agreed to an extension with the Orlando Magic. However, the duo can only finalize the notarized documents at a later time. The younger Wagner, Franz, is projected to become one of the top-earning German professional athletes with his new five-year contract from 2022 to 2030. The reported minimum salary for the deal is 224 million Dollars (approximately 206 million Euro), and the maximum potential earnings could reach 270 million Dollars (approximately 249 million Euro). If he signs this contract, Franz Wagner could surpass NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki's total earnings during his 21-year career in the NBA.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear if Daniel Theis will be able to join the German Basketball National Team for the return match against France in Montpellier, scheduled for Monday (21.00 Uhr). The absence of the three NBA professionals and the late return of the Wagner brothers could challenge the team's performance and goal of presenting a full-strength team to their home fans during the Olympic preparation.
