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Overseas Games Establish Orlando Magic as NBA Ambassadors

August 3, 2025 by Last Word On Pro Basketball

The NBA announced that two regular-season games will take place in Berlin and London. The Magic will battle the Grizzlies on January 15 and 18. What does this mean for Orlando’s German players, Desmond Bane, and Orlando’s role in the league?

Feb 21, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) moves the ball in front of Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) during the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Feb 21, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) moves the ball in front of Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) during the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Overseas Games Establish Magic As NBA Ambassadors

The Magic Successfully Recruit an International Fanbase

“Brazil Night” is becoming a tradition at the Kia Center. For the last two seasons, the Magic have thrown a special celebration in January for Brazilian fans, who are the fastest-growing segment of their market. Magic caps and jerseys are a common sight in cities like Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. According to SportsFive, Brazilians account for 10% of all the team’s ticket sales, and their Portuguese language social media accounts boast over half a million followers.

The Germans are close behind. Franz Wagner and his brother Moritz Wagner are the faces of the NBA in their home country, joined on the Magic last season by Munich-born Tristan Da Silva. Franz led the national team to the bronze medal in the 2022 EuroBasket, and to the top of the podium in the 2023 World Cup as MVP. The brothers are household names in Germany, the subjects of a recent four-part documentary series that was broadcast nationally. Viewership for Magic games in this country is higher than any other NBA team, and German fans are one of the fast-growing constituencies for the league.

The Magic’s popularity overseas is no fluke. After the NBA relaxed its rules on overseas marketing in the COVID era, Orlando crafted a detailed plan to expand its fanbase. They launched Spanish, Portuguese and German-language social media accounts to connect with fans. A recent watch party for the Magic in Munich drew a large in-person crowd and online presence. The team played in Mexico City in 2023, and hosted Flamengo Brazil later that season. That Franz and Da Silva decided to play for Germany in Eurobasket 2025 is no surprise, and another opportunity for Orlando’s basketball diplomacy strategy.

Orlando’s German Players to Wear Blue and White in Deutschland

The Berlin battle will be a special one for Magic players. Da Silva and Franz will also be playing for the German team in Eurobasket this summer. That is sure to raise Tristan’s profile in the country with his first national team appearance. Moritz Wagner is not guaranteed to be playing in January given his recovery from ACL injury. He should be seeing the court early in the season and likely would not miss the hometown action.

“To have the Orlando Magic and the NBA play a regular-season game in our hometown of Berlin means everything to us,” said the Wagners. “Growing up here, we dreamed of moments like this.  It’s a huge honor to represent Berlin and Germany and show how much the city and country love basketball.”

Bane and Ja Reunited in Europe

“I was shocked, personally,” said Ja Morant after learning that his teammate Desmond Bane was traded to the Magic. “Des is going to a very talented Orlando team. I feel like he’s the piece that they’ve been missing.”

With a playoff shutout sandwiched between two first-round exits in the last three seasons for the Grizzlies, they decided to trade their expensive sharpshooter for draft picks and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Magic, desperate for shooting, made their move and officially launched the offseason with a blockbuster deal. With their eyes on the ECF this season, everyone is eager to see Bane bring his nearly 20 points per game to the floor with Banchero and Wagner.

The NBA schedule is still unreleased, but it is likely that Berlin will be the first time Bane will see his former team. He played all five of his seasons in Memphis, alongside Morant. He and Jalen Suggs will face off against Morant and Caldwell-Pope in the backcourt. KCP confronts the team who dumped his contract after one disappointing season. The back-to-back overseas matchup, in what will surely be a much-hyped event, will have plenty of storylines for the fans across the pond.

Spreading the Magic Across the Globe

Magic fans have long derided the league and television networks for less-than-generous offerings of primetime opportunities and national coverage. The announcement that Orlando will make this European trek is a public display of confidence in the Eastern Conference darlings and a nod to their international appeal. Foreign fans are flocking to the NBA, with many of them choosing to root for Orlando. The Wagner brothers are bonafide stars. With Da Silva’s opportunity to make a splash in Eurobasket, the Berlin game will be a historic milestone for the league.

Photo credit: © Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The post Overseas Games Establish Orlando Magic as NBA Ambassadors appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.

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