Germany's NBA players have had a split start to the season

Germany’s NBA players have had a split start to the season. Isaiah Hartenstein is thriving with the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 9.9 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game, while Franz Wagner is carrying the injury-hit Orlando Magic and Dennis Schröder has lost his starting spot with the Charlotte Hornets, Sport Bild reported.

The picture across the league is uneven. While Hartenstein anchors the Thunder’s defense, Wagner is shouldering a shorthanded Magic roster, Moritz Wagner is stuck in Brooklyn’s losing start, and Schröder was benched after a 91-124 blowout loss to Detroit. The numbers tell the story of a group adjusting to new roles, new teams and new pressures.

Franz Wagner Carries Orlando Through Injury Crisis

Franz Wagner has become the Magic’s offensive engine by necessity. With Banchero and Suggs sidelined, the 25-year-old has averaged 20.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists in 35.8 minutes across seven games, Sport Bild reported. Orlando sits at 2-5.

The highs have been genuine. Against the New York Knicks, Wagner scored 21 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to force a win. “We had a hard start to the season,” Wagner said. Against Boston he dished a career-high 12 assists, though he shot just 5 of 20 from the field in a 97-108 loss. The next night against Washington brought another home defeat, 94-103, with Wagner scoring 24 points but Orlando managing only nine points in the third quarter.

Tristan da Silva has been a streaky complement, averaging 14.1 points in 29.4 minutes. He poured in 23 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting against Boston, then went 2-of-10 from deep against Washington.

Moritz Wagner Endures Brooklyn’s Collapse

The Brooklyn Nets opened 0-5 before finally winning 98-90 at Indiana, where Moritz Wagner scored 14 points. He had reeled off four straight double-digit games coming off the bench. But the momentum died in the next game: a 90-103 loss to the Knicks in which Brooklyn led 79-75 before the final quarter, then scored only 11 points in the last 12 minutes. Wagner finished with six points. The Nets are 1-6 and near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Wagner, 29, is averaging 11 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 18.7 minutes per game. It is his first NBA season in five years without his brother Franz on a roster alongside him.

Dennis Schröder Loses Starting Spot in Charlotte

Dennis Schröder’s start has been the roughest of the German contingent. After the Hornets were thrashed 91-124 by Detroit — their fourth straight loss — the 33-year-old point guard was moved to the bench. He had five points and five turnovers in that game, Sport Bild reported. Across eight games he is averaging 10.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5 assists in 31.2 minutes, and Charlotte is 3-5.

Rookie Christian Anderson, 20, seized the opening with eight points in under nine minutes against Detroit, averaging 2.6 points in 10.2 minutes overall. Fellow German rookie Hannes Steinbach, also 20, has barely played: three appearances in eight games for 2.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 7.5 minutes per game.

Head coach Charles Lee said Steinbach must work on constantly communicating on defense. The competition at center is stiff: Lee relies on Moussa Diabaté and backup Ryan Kalkbrenner, who has the edge in zone defense.

Isaiah Hartenstein Anchors the Thunder

Isaiah Hartenstein is the clear bright spot. In a 117-112 win at Cleveland, the 7-foot center grabbed 14 rebounds, passed for four assists and had two steals while scoring five points, Sport Bild reported. It was his fourth straight game with double-digit rebounds, coming after three consecutive double-doubles: 12 points and 12 rebounds against the Clippers, 15 and 13 against Phoenix, and 10 and 14 at Dallas.

Across seven games, Hartenstein is averaging 8.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 24.5 minutes for the 5-2 Thunder. With Jalen Williams (calf fracture) and Cason Wallace (shoulder labrum tear) sidelined, Hartenstein’s interior presence has mattered more. After the win over Phoenix, he wore Williams’ jersey and dedicated the game to him. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 43 points in the Cleveland thriller.

German Players in the WNBA: Playoff Heartbreak and a Knee Surgery

The WNBA season has ended for Germany’s players. Leonie Fiebich reached the playoffs with the New York Liberty (26-18) but was swept 0-3 by Atlanta in the semifinals. “We won in 2024 because we had the necessary toughness, the talent and the team chemistry,” Fiebich said — qualities she said were missing this time.

Season Stats at a Glance

Player	Team	Games	Min	Pts	Reb	Ast
Franz Wagner	Orlando Magic	7	35.8	20.3	6.1	7.6
Tristan da Silva	Orlando Magic	7	29.4	14.1	3.4	1.7
Moritz Wagner	Brooklyn Nets	7	18.7	11.0	3.7	1.3
Dennis Schröder	Charlotte Hornets	8	31.2	10.9	3.4	5.0
Isaiah Hartenstein	Oklahoma City Thunder	7	24.5	8.9	9.9	2.3
Hannes Steinbach	Charlotte Hornets	3	7.5	2.7	2.3	0.3

Questions Fans Are Asking

After Charlotte’s 91-124 loss to Detroit — the team’s fourth straight defeat — Schröder was benched. He had five points and five turnovers in that game, and rookie Christian Anderson played his way into the rotation.

Very well. With Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace injured, Hartenstein has posted four straight double-digit rebound games, including 14 rebounds in the Thunder’s 117-112 win at Cleveland.

Moritz Wagner’s Brooklyn Nets host Dennis Schröder’s Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night in Brooklyn — a direct German duel in the NBA.

The next checkpoint comes Thursday night, when Brooklyn and Charlotte meet in Brooklyn.