The Orlando Magic’s lone second-round selection, Wesley Iwundu showed flashes of defensive potential as a rookie. But he still left plenty to be desired.
The Orlando Magic made Wesley Iwundu was drafted 33rd overall in last year’s draft. The Kansas State Wildcats product was selected for his defensive prowess and athletic ability. He was a seasoned player — having played three years in college — with a defined defensive skill set and a growing offensive game.
Orlando’s front office wanted a young wing who could come off the bench and play strong perimeter defense. With his lanky 6-foot-7 frame, Iwundu could guard every perimeter position. He did a solid job in that role last season.
Iwundu found himself thrust into the lineup due to injury and lackluster play from veterans on the roster. He gave the Magic’s front office a good look. Iwundu got plenty of time, averaging 16.5 minutes per game in 62 contests.
From the jump, it was apparent Iwundu had a long way to go on the offensive end. He was not a threat from the outside and had no confidence taking the ball to the rack off of the dribble. But that was to be expected. He put together a handful of scoring bursts in college, but he was not expected to bring much scoring at the NBA level. He just needed to show confidence shooting 3-pointers and to make enough to keep defenses honest.
That is the part of his game that is still developing.
Through his first NBA season, Iwundu did not do anything flashy. He quietly progressed.
It was clear his confidence was growing. After a stint in the G-League where he averaged 15.9 points per game, including a 31-point outburst, he returned to Orlando confident he belonged in the NBA.
Although that confidence may not have shown up on the stat sheet, Iwundu appears to be on the path of carving out an NBA role for himself.
Defensively, he is a few steps away from being a truly reliable contributor, but if he can develop an offensive game he may have a future in the NBA.
At the very least, Iwundu has probably bought himself another year or two with the Magic. He will likely battle for one of the first forward spots off the bench when camp opens in September.