Moritz Wagner

The reigning NBA MVP left the Milwaukee Bucks' 126-113 win over the Washington Wizards in the second quarter following the incident with Wagner.

Antetokounmpo had 12 points and nine rebounds in just 10 minutes before his frustration boiled over.

The Greek was rueful afterwards, promised to learn from the clash and insisted there was no personal issue with Wagner, although he also took the opportunity to complain of the repeated rough treatment he feels he is dealt in the league.

"It's a terrible action," he told reporters. "If I could turn back time and go back to that play, I wouldn't do it. But at the end of the day, we're all human, we all make mistakes.

"I think I've done a great job all year and in my career, keeping my composure and focusing on the game. But like I say, we're all human, we all make mistakes.

"I'll learn from it, keeping playing good basketball and keep moving forward.

"I don't think I was frustrated with Wagner. I think it was just the whole build-up of dirty plays in my mind, guys tripping me, guys falling in front of my feet, holding me, hitting me.

"I have nothing against Wagner - it wasn't just him. Just in my mind, in all the games I've played, there's guys hitting me. I lost it for a second.

"Like I said, if I could go back, I'd change it so I could stay in the game. I've got to live with it. It's a bad mistake from me, I'll learn from it.

"I'm glad we were able to play good basketball, I'm happy we were having fun and were able to win the game. We've got to keep getting ready for the playoffs."

Suggesting such an episode had been coming for some time, Antetokounmpo said he would work to ensure there was no repeat.

"Usually I try to just stay focused, finish the game, don't do something stupid," he said.

"But there's always times when you're in the zone and you don't think. It might take a second or two, you don't think and you do something dumb.

"My whole career I've had great team-mates around me, great coaching staff, and I think I've done a great job being locked in, not feeling much from what the other team's game plan is, what they're trying to accomplish from hitting me.

"But, man, today was the day. Hopefully it's the last one. I know the hits are going to keep coming."

Asked what his team-mates had told him, Antetokounmpo said: "They told me to learn from it, that they need me on the floor, they need me out there playing good basketball.

"I've got to be a leader. I've got to learn from this. I'm happy now, but this could happen in the playoffs, it could happen in a big game.

"They're 100 per cent right. It's my fault, fellas. They're 100 per cent right. But they know me, they know I've done a great job keeping my composure.

"They said, 'okay, it's acceptable, it's human for Giannis to lose it for a second once'. But they told me I've got to learn from it, they're 100 per cent right, and hopefully it doesn't repeat itself in the future."

The altercation occurred with 33.2 seconds left in the second quarter when Orlando's Moritz Wagner body checked Detroit guard Killian Hayes off the court and onto the Pistons bench.

The Pistons bench immediately stepped up to remonstrate with Wagner given their proximity before Hayes struck the Magic power forward in the back of the head with his forearm.

Wagner appeared to have been knocked out by the blow but was able to eventually walk away from the skirmish.

Hayes copped the longest suspension, a three-game ban without pay, while Wagner was banned for two games for an "unsportsmanlike act".

Eight Magic players - Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield, Franz Wagner, Mo Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr. - all received one-game suspensions, having left their bench to join in the altercation. Pistons' shooting guard Hamidou Diallo also was banned for one game for pushing Wagner from behind as the altercation erupted.

ESPN reports Wagner's new deal, which will begin during the 2025-26 season and runs through 2029-30, could be worth up to $269 million should he make an All-NBA team.

Wagner, the eighth overall pick of the 2021 draft, has been a mainstay in the Magic's starting lineup since his rookie season while quickly developing into a cornerstone two-way player. The 22-year-old has averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.96 steals while starting all 231 of his career games.

The native German set career highs in points (19.7), rebounds (5.3) and assists (3.7) per game this past season.

Wagner's emergence and the play of 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero were major factors towards the Magic winning 47 games in 2023-24, the franchise's highest win total in a season since 2010-11, and returning to the play-offs following a three-year absence.

The former University of Michigan star's new max contract comes just days after the Magic re-signed his older brother, Moritz, to a reported two-year, $22 million deal.

He's also the first Magic player to receive a maximum extension on his rookie contract since Dwight Howard in 2007, though Banchero is expected to join that group when he becomes eligible next summer.

Wagner's extension continues what has been a busy free agent period for Orlando. The Magic previously pried coveted veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Denver Nuggets on a three-year, $66 million deal and gave forward Jonathan Isaac a five-year, $84 million extension.

Williamson finished the opening quarter with 10 points, four steals, two assists and a rebound and shot 6 of 8 in 16 minutes overall before exiting for good.

Franz Wagner led the Magic with 19 points and brother Moritz Wagner added 16. The brothers combined to shoot 15 of 21 while the rest of the team shot 20 of 63.

Elsewhere in the NBA, Jayson Tatum poured in 28 points with five of his team’s 23 3-pointers and Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points in the Boston Celtics’ 123-110 win over the New York Knicks.

Jaylen Brown scored 17 points for Boston, which connected on 23 of 52 from long range.

Quentin Grimes paced the Knicks with 22 points, including 7 of 12 on 3-pointers. 

In Oklahoma City, Josh Giddey scored 19 points and Chet Holmgren had 18 to propel the hot-shooting Thunder to a 124-101 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Giddey was 9 of 12 from the field and Holmgren was 7 of 8 as part of the Thunder’s 56.5 percent (48 of 85) shooting effort that included 18 of 39 from 3-point range.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 18 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes, while Damian Lillard scored just five points on 2-of-11 shooting in his second game with Milwaukee.