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Orlando Magic interview De’Aaron Fox at NBA Draft Combine

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Mar 19, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard De'Aaron Fox (0) drives past Wichita State Shockers guard Landry Shamet (11) during the first half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Joseph-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard De'Aaron Fox (0) drives past Wichita State Shockers guard Landry Shamet (11) during the first half in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Joseph-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic interviewed Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox at the NBA Draft Combine as the team concluded its Combine preparations.

The Orlando Magic interviewed Kentucky Wildcats point guard De’Aaron Fox at the NBA Draft Combine he told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel on Friday.

Fox was one of the two top-10 draft prospects to appear in Chicago largely for the interviews. Top prospect Markelle Fultz was the other, but he did not have an interview with the Magic during the Combine.

Fox is one of the top point guard prospects in the Draft. He has a strong mix of speed and playmaking, drawing comparisons to players like John Wall. At the very worst, he has garnered comparisons to a faster, more efficient version of Elfrid Payton.

Fox was dominant at Kentucky, averaging 16.7 points and 4.6 assists per game. During the NCAA Tournament, he upped his game, averaging 21.3 points per game and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 77.8 percent from the line.

Fox has quickly risen draft boards thanks to that strong close to the season and his overall play. He has a lot of tools that make him a top prospect in the upcoming Draft.

He told the Orlando Sentinel why he thinks he would be a good fit for the Magic:

"“I like their young team,” Fox said. “I feel like they’ve had a couple of young pieces. Probably a point guard will really be able to fill them out. It’s a process. All the young teams have really been on me, and they’re just trying to get back on track.”"

The big criticism of Fox was his inconsistent shooting. This year Fox shot 47.8 percent from the floor but just 24.6 percent from beyond the arc. This has helped Fox garner some comparisons to the Magic’s point guard, Elfrid Payton.

The key difference may be with Fox’s free throw shooting. He shot 73.9 percent from the line. It suggests Fox can improve his shooting and become a bit more consistent.

There are some reports Fox could rise above Lonzo Ball on draft boards. The workout process is just beginning. But, undoubtedly, Fox is one of the best player available in this Draft.

Robbins also reports the Magic interviewed Oregon Ducks guard Dillon Brooks, Wisconsin Badgers power forward Nigel Hayes, Maryland Terrapins forward Justin Jackson, Iowa State Cyclones guard Monte Morris and Xavier Musketeers guard Edmond Sumner.

Brooks is the highest profile prospect of this group. He averaged 16.1 points per game and shot 48.8 percent from the floor and 40.1 percent from beyond the arc. He is projected to be a mid-second round pick. But he could climb to become the Magic’s second round pick.

Brooks is a versatile wing player who can create his own shot and score from beyond the arc. He left school as a junior and so is pretty well developed as a player.

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Orlando Magic

Nigel Hayes is an improving power forward, averaging 14.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in his senior year at Wisconsin. Hayes is more a traditional power forward. He has to continue developing his shot if he wants to make it in the NBA. Otherwise, he will have to carve out time as a hustle player near the basket. That was not exactly his role with the Badgers.

Iowa State’s Monte Morris averaged 16.4 points and 6.2 assists per game last year. He is an athletic and capable scorer who improved every year of his four-year career at Iowa State. DraftExpress currently projects him to be a late second round pick.

Justin Jackson from Maryland (not the one from North Carolina, whom the Magic met with earlier in the week) averaged 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He shot 43.8 percent from beyond the arc. He is a promising young prospect. But many expect him to return to school and try to build on his solid freshman year.

Edmond Sumner is a mid-second round prospect. He averaged 14.3 points and 4.8 assists per game last year at Xavier.

Next: Lottery can bring stability to Orlando Magic

In all, the Magic interviewed 18 prospects at the NBA Draft Combine. They will certainly be doing plenty more work with individual workouts and interviews in the coming weeks.