2004 — Round 1, Pick 20 (acquired on draft night)
The Orlando Magic were excited on the night of the 2004 NBA Draft. They had the first overall pick, after all, and took a big swing with Dwight Howard.
The other move they made went under the radar. But proved to be equally big.
Orlando dealt a future first-round pick to acquire the National Collegiate Player of the Year from St. Joseph’s. And that move paid off dividends. Jameer Nelson proved height was just a number. And he became one of the most beloved players in team history.
Nelson spent 10 years in Orlando, averaging 12.6 points per game and dishing out 5.4 assists per game. He was just a steady player throughout his career. He slowly rose to become a starter for the team after being more than a spark plug off the bench.
He turned into an All-Star in 2009 but had to sit out and wait through the finals run thanks to a shoulder injury. That was the kind of hard luck Nelson had at times.
But he was the constant for the Magic. Even through the Dwight Howard troubles at the end of his Magic tenure. Nelson came in and did his work. he never pretended to be something he wasn’t.
And for a young Magic team, he was the leader they needed. Probably someone the Magic should have held onto a bit longer.