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Franz Wagner and Germany kick off their Paris Olympic group-stage schedule on Saturday with a matchup against Japan. After a strong exhibition showing against Team USA, Wagner appears good to go for the contest.
Germany enters this summer's Olympics as a rising international powerhouse after securing its first-ever FIBA World Cup gold medal last year. As a result, it ranks third in the FIBA World Rankings, trailing only Team USA and Spain.
However, the Germans have yet to medal at the men's Olympic basketball tournament, never advancing past the quarterfinals. So, they will look to make history this year.
Wagner and Co. open the Olympics in Group B, competing against Japan, Brazil and France. They will face each team once, beginning with Saturday's showdown against Japan, headlined by forward Rui Hachimura.
How did Franz Wagner and Germany fare during their pre-Olympic exhibition schedule?
Germany, led by Franz Wagner and veteran point guard Dennis Schroder, finished its pre-Olympic exhibition schedule with a 3-2 record.
It secured blowout victories over the Netherlands (95-50) and Japan (104-83), splitting two matchups against France (90-66 loss, 70-65 win).
In their final, most highly anticipated showdown against Team USA, the Olympic favorites, on Monday, the Germans suffered a hard-fought 92-88 defeat. Wagner led the way, tallying a team-best 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and two 3-pointers, shooting 42.9%.
However, Germany was unable to survive a late-game onslaught from superstar forward LeBron James. The four-time NBA MVP tallied a game-high 20 points, including the Americans' final 11 points, to carry his squad to victory.
Nonetheless, the Germans' strong showing against Team USA's stacked roster should bode well for its chances of medaling at the Olympics.
How to watch Franz Wagner and Germany's matchup against Japan?
Franz Wagner and Germany's matchup against Japan takes place at Stade Pierre Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France, on Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET. The contest airs on TBA and can also be live-streamed on Peacock.
Following Saturday's Olympic opener, the Germans will face Brazil on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET and France on Friday at 3 p.m. ET to conclude their Group B schedule.
Afterward, each group's first and second-placed teams, along with the top two third-placed teams from the group stage, will advance to the tournament's quarterfinals.
Also Read: Listing all the NBA and WNBA Olympic flag bearers in history
