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Orlando Magic: 15 best draft picks of all time

By Philip Rossman-Reich

AUBURN HILLS, MI - JUNE 30: Chris Webber, number one overall pick by the Golden State Warriors, shakes hands with Penny Hardaway, number three overall pick by the Orlando Magic, during the NBA Draft at The Palace of Auburn Hills on June 30, 1993 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1993 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, MI - JUNE 30: Chris Webber, number one overall pick by the Golden State Warriors, shakes hands with Penny Hardaway, number three overall pick by the Orlando Magic, during the NBA Draft at The Palace of Auburn Hills on June 30, 1993 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1993 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic /

2014 — Round 1, Pick 4

The Orlando Magic were hoping to get into the top three in the 2014 NBA Draft after two years of abject losing. This was going to be a foundational pick. Landing at four took them outside the surefire three of Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid. And it left the team with a difficult choice.

Orlando’s selection of Aaron Gordon was an investment in a seemingly limitless future. That was more because Gordon did not really have much definition to his game. Much less a position. He was an uber-athlete. Someone that could be molded into whatever the team wanted.

The Magic, unfortunately, did not give Gordon much direction in his first three years in the league. Injuries slowed that down too. He remained a super athlete and a danger in transition. He slowly developed into a solid defender. But it all lacked consistency.

His 2018 season proved to be his breakout turn.

Finally finding a home at power forward and having a full healthy summer to work on his game, Gordon averaged 17.6 points per game. His shooting came around as he made 33.6 percent of his 3-pointers and 69.8 percent of his free throws.

His game finally seemed to find an identity.

There were still those hair-raising dunks. The kind of dunks that made him a darling in the Slam Dunk Contest for two straight years — including a blow-for-blow turn with Zach LaVine in 2015 that became an all-time classic.

As Gordon prepares to enter restricted free agency, the Magic are still trying to figure out exactly what he is and what his ceiling might be.

That has still left a ton of memories with him in a Magic uniform.