The Top 10 Defenders In Orlando Magic History
There is a good argument to be made Darrell Armstrong is actually the best defender in Magic history, but this is another case of a guard not being able to outclass the big men just because of the nature of NBA defenses.
Armstrong was one of the highest energy players in NBA history, and his affection for coffee and chocolate Hersey’s kisses at halftime has to rank as one of the more interesting rituals.
Armstrong drew comparisons to the “Energizer Bunny”: “he just keeps going, and going, and going.” He spent some seasons in the shadows of Hardaway and the immense talent of the Magic’s glory years, but after the team was dismantled he became the leader and usurped a large portion of Orlando’s buckets, be it by assist or his own shooting.
Per-36, Armstrong’s numbers are impressive, he averaged two steals per game during his 13-year NBA career and he was in the top seven for steals for five consecutive seasons. He is also the only player to win Sixth Man of the Year and the Most Improved award in the same season.
Armstrong may have had a lower ceiling than a lot of the guards in the league, but it was never something one could say for certain, because Armstrong really did it all and played so hard on both ends of the court.
It is so easy to get on board with guys that play their heart out and sacrifice their bodies for the sake of the team.
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