The Orlando Magic surprised many by drafting forward Jonathan Isaac. What did we miss from his time at Florida State? We asked Tomahawk Nation to weigh in.
The Orlando Magic faced a key decision back on draft night in June.
This would be Jeff Weltman’s first big decision as president of basketball operations. The summer still laid before him. But the sixth overall pick would be a foundational piece and set the team’s direction. Especially in this top-heavy 2016 Draft.
Orlando could go with a player more ready to contribute immediately and fill some needs but lack in other areas. Or they could go with a project who fits the team’s long-term vision and plan. At that point, it was still not clear exactly what direction Weltman wanted to take.
The pick for the Magic came down to Dennis Smith and Jonathan Isaac. The two freshman from the ACC took the nation by storm last year for different reasons. Smith was the dynamic scoring guard. Isaac the tantalizing project.
Weltman signaled the Magic are likely to take a long-term view to their rebuild and focus on bringing in length and athleticism in selecting Isaac to some surprise.
Isaac last year averaged 12.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. They were modest statistics for a freshman forward. He played a secondary role behind Dwayne Bacon and Xavier Rathan-Mayes. At times, the criticism went, Isaac blended into the background too much.
But where he thrived was on defense. His length and athleticism shined through on that end. And the times he did assert himself offensively, he showed flashes of brilliance. His body and his game just needed time to mature. The Magic knew that and liked his defensive potential.
That was on display in his Summer League stint with the Magic in July. He showed a ton of defensive ability and began gaining confidence as the week went on. Isaac ended up averaging 10.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Before he left the week with a hip injury, he was gaining confidence. He posted his best game of the week in that last game before the team shut him down.
Isaac showed plenty of promise. The question is whether he will reach that promise.
Florida State Seminoles Basketball
Like with the Florida State Seminoles, the Magic will bring Isaac along slowly. It appears the team will bring Jonathan Isaac off the bench behind Aaron Gordon at power forward and have him grow with the veterans projected to come off the bench.
The team will have to be patient with his development. But there is clearly something there.
Most Magic fans have not gotten a great look at Isaac as a player. So before the season started, I reached out to Michael Rogner of Tomahawk Nation to tell us what we did not see from Isaac in his time at Florida State.
Philip Rossman-Reich (@philiprr_omd), Orlando Magic Daily: Jonathan Isaac’s statistics were kind of meager at Florida State. What did you see from him as a freshman and what is there beyond his statistics that make you think he can cut it in the NBA?
Michael Rogner (@TN_Hoops), Tomahawk Nation: In terms of scoring, he really was not asked to do too much: score in transition, be active around the basket, knock down jumpers. Couple that with some time spent injured, and limited minutes in general due to FSU’s high tempo system, and his counting stats are not awe inspiring.
But part of the reason he was drafted so highly is that he impacted the game regardless of whether he was scoring. FSU was just a different team when he was on the floor.
The stat that jumps out was his 25 percent defensive rebound rate. That was not just the highest on the team, it was the highest by any Seminole since advanced stats became available 16 years ago.
He will fit well into NBA systems, as so many teams are going positionless, and he is a 6-foot-11 guy who can switch onto point guards.
OMD: Do you feel like Isaac could have taken on a bigger role with Florida State? Did he try to fit in with the team’s veterans? What do you think he could have done if he were on a team that featured him more?
Tomahawk Nation: I am not sure that he tried to fit in. He just did his job. The coaches got him to focus on the little things — defense first, rebounding, keeping the ball moving, stretching the D so that Bacon and Xavier Rathan-Mayes could work one-on-one. I think that is a big positive for Magic fans. He is not an ego guy. He will do what the coaches want him to do.
Orlando Magic
I do not think featuring him more would have been a great plan. He was really raw coming in. By the end of the year, he was just developing some post moves. He will get there, but last season he was suited to be the “star-role player.”
OMD: What is something hidden about Jonathan Isaac’s game that you noticed from watching him last year?
Tomahawk Nation: His ability to process information is remarkable. You would see him make a mistake and the coaches would work with him at the break. And the mistake would just disappear from his game. I cannot overstate the progress he made from November to March in terms of understanding the defense and executing (especially defensively). The speed of his growth is why his stock went through the roof.
OMD: What do you project for Jonathan Isaac in his rookie year? What kind of impact do you see him making immediately?
Tomahawk Nation: He will probably struggle early. He is still very raw compared to NBA guys. Isaac will also have a ton of games where you do not really notice him, and then look up in the fourth quarter and he has a crazy efficient 15 points and nine boards. And then he will mix in a handful of games where everyone in the arena will be buzzing at how good this guy could become.
OMD: What kind of player do you think Isaac can be if he reaches his potential?
Tomahawk Nation: No idea if he will get there, but he has a chance to be special. As his jumper becomes more consistent he will be a matchup nightmare on the pick and roll. His post game is blossoming and will be a huge weapon against teams who switch everything. He can
He can rebound and he can defend the rim.
Kevin Durant is the most common comparison. But, in reality, they are different types of players. Jonathan Isaac will not ever be THE guy, but put the right parts around him and he will be the one other coaches are worrying about.
Next: Orlando Magic still behind rebuild counterparts
My thanks to Michael for taking the time to answer some questions about Jonathan Isaac. This certainly should get Magic fans excited for his rookie year once again. Be sure to follow Michael on Twitter @TN_hoops. And check out Tomahawk Nation for your Florida State fix.