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.
Good and the Bad
| G | GS | MP | FG% | 3P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | 12 | 16.5 | .427 | .196 | .447 | .723 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 3.7 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/30/2018.
The best part about Wesley Iwundu’s season was the opportunity he received thanks to the rest of the team’s struggles. Injuries and losing allowed for young players like Iwundu to receive a ton of playing time. It is not often a second-round pick plays nearly 20 minutes per game in his rookie season.
Thankfully, Iwundu played well enough to stay NBA bound for most of the season. He averaged 3.7 points per game, 0.9 assists per game and 2.2 rebounds per game as a second unit player.
Although his numbers do not jump off the stat sheet, Iwundu played within himself in 2018. He did not chuck up 3-point shots or turn the ball over like rookies tend to do. He played with controlled energy and to his strengths.
All of his focus was on the defensive end, which is where he made a name for himself at the college level.
Orlando’s coaching staff rarely wanted Iwundu to pull the trigger on offense. They wanted to see the offense come to him so he could make the easy pass, or put up an open shot.
Statistically, the Magic’s 104.9 defensive rating with Iwundu on the floor seems poor, but he was on one of the worst defensive teams in the league and it definitely made an impact.
The defensive potential was apparent and he can still improve on that end as he carves out a role for himself.
On the negative side, Iwundu brought next to nothing offensively. He failed to make strides on his outside shot and was overall ineffective when it came to scoring. It was almost like he was hesitant to shoot at times.
He managed to stay out of the way on offense, making the right pass and occasionally dishing an assist. But his offense was not where he made his money last season.
He made some memorable plays in transition last season on both ends of the floor. He managed to slow down fast breaks and at least force the opposition to take a tough shot. ON the offensive end he used his speed to set teammates for lobs.
Iwundu became acclimated with the NBA life. He was given an opportunity which most second-round picks will never receive. Luckily, he made the most of it.
Best Game of 2018
Jan. 6 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: 12 points, 6/7 FGs, 5 rebounds
In the midst of a historically bad stretch, the Orlando Magic found some life against the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers. Much of the life can be attributed to Iwundu.
Although the Magic were unable to seal the deal against James and company, they battled until the final whistle, falling 131-127.
The season was pretty much over by early January, but Iwundu felt his first major NBA look was about to begin.
He answered with 12 points, five rebounds and a trio of assists off the bench. His strong stat line was capped off with a pair of steals with one finishing with a beautiful alley-oop to Aaron Gordon.
Iwundu only had a handful of games where he scored double-digits, but to put together a well-rounded effort put the cherry on top for him.
2019 Outlook
Second round picks rarely have anything guaranteed. They are constantly fighting for their place on the team even with the hefty investment teams put in them.
Wesley Iwundu will again find himself fighting to stay in the league and prove his worth. Especially with the Magic also investing some in some other talented young wings in Rodney Purvis and Jamel Artis. They all have to prove themselves over again.
Iwundu’s statistical output was, again, not that impressive. He made his mark defensively throughout the season. But even then there was still something left wanting. Especially for a player with his collegiate experience.
The question for Iwundu is just how much he can grow. If he can become a halfway decent 3-point shooter, that helps a ton. And that makes him a valuable player who has staying power in the league.
But, far too often this year it looked like Iwundu was not confident taking his shot. Even when open. And when he did shoot, his shot often looked wayward. He had some bad misses.
The Magic hoped Iwundu would continue his upward trend with his jump shooting that he showed through his three years at Kansas State. The longer 3-point line likely put a bit of a halt to that progression. Now he has to pick it up again.
To be sure, Iwundu will show just what he can do and how far he has come by the time Summer League rolls around in July. That will be a big proving ground for him. A check up on his progress and a chance for him to show publicly what he will give the Magic when the season rolls around.
Orlando is not in the position to give up on any of its young players at this point. Despite any of Iwundu’s apparent weaknesses, he has certainly shown enough to keep investing in him for a bit longer.
Final Grade
All things considered, Wesley Iwundu put together a solid rookie season. With little expectations and fan fare, he was able to carve out a role in his first season with the Magic.
Iwundu took advantage of the opportunity in front of him and likely earned himself another roster spot in 2018. If he can take big strides with his outside shot in the offseason, he projects to be a prototypical three-and-D player.
His run in Summer League will be very important to show that kind of growth and development.
Defensively, Iwundu needs to stay the course. He will learn the craft with more time, but he is athletic enough to stick to his man. And he uses his hands well enough to cause turnovers. If he can continue to build on his strength at that end of the floor, he will have a place on an NBA roster.
It is the offensive side of the ball that will determine how high his ceiling can be. Iwundu will never be a scorer. He does not have the jumper or the ability to create off the dribble. But his game will transform once teams respect his 3-point shot more.
If Iwundu can make opponents take notice of him outside, he can then use his athleticism and length to get to the basket.
But it will take time for the jump shot to develop. He will have to continue to play within himself and slowly progress.
Next: 2017-18 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Jonathan Isaac
As he enters year two, Iwundu should find himself as a potential piece to the new plan Orlando’s front office will continue to push this offseason.