2018-19 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Amile Jefferson

Amile Jefferson again dominated the G-League in leading the Lakeland Magic to a deep playoff run. But his shot at the NBA is still elusive.

As the season started winding to a close and the Orlando Magic were getting all hands on deck to prepare for the playoff run, a few reporters asked coach Steve Clifford about two-way player Amile Jefferson.

The moment the question popped up, Clifford seemed to rise in his seat some. He was eager to talk about a guy who had not played very much on the main roster, but had still spent considerable time with the Orlando Magic.

Steve Clifford had a few Stan Van Gundy-like rants throughout the season. But his favorite target was to say that with so many players coming into the NBA without years of college play under their belt, young players simply did not know how to practice and the kind of preparation it takes to win basketball games at a high level. The AAU culture of getting game after game to showcase a player has done a number on young players’ work habits.

Clifford said players know how to work on their own games but do not know how to work within the team construct.

And that is what he loved about Amile Jefferson. Here was a guy who was a grinder. That is what he was with the Duke Blue Devils for three years. And he was someone Clifford said he could feel comfortable throwing onto the floor. He knew Jefferson understood the work that was involved to play.

Jefferson had established himself last year as one of the best prospects in the G-League. He was a walking double-double who dominated around the basket for the Iowa Wolves. The question was always whether he could translate that to the NBA.

And that was the part of the question Clifford always struggled to answer. He loved Jefferson’s work ethic and drive and even his game. But could not find a way to get him into the game.

The issues that kept Jefferson out of the league persisted and did not seem to have a lot of change.

Jefferson’s biggest problem remains that he is a tweener. Too small to play center but not mobile or a good enough shooter to play forward.

Jefferson would have worked better in another time and the Magic never got to a point where they could use him. Jarell Martin‘s presence on the team also blocked Amile Jefferson from getting playing time. What was there that Jefferson could do that Martin could not?

Jefferson finished the year appearing in 68 minutes over 12 games for the Orlando Magic. He scored 27 total points and made 10 of 16 shots (62.5 percent). All that came with the game already decided.

Jefferson showed what has made him one of the best G-League prospects for the last few years. He works well around the basket, rebounds effectively (21 total rebounds in those minutes) and can hit the mid-range jumper. Jefferson was energetic and was noticeable in the minutes he played.

There is no doubt Jefferson has graduated far beyond the G-League. He turned in another really good season in the G-League this year, helping lead the Lakeland Magic to the Eastern Conference Finals.

He led the Lakeland Magic with 18.0 points per game, shooting 58.3 percent from the floor. He added 11.3 rebounds per game too, continuing his nightly double-double assault on G-League bigs.

This is what Jefferson did in the G-League last year. He was knocking on the door to the NBA for a while.

It was odd that he signed a two-way contract, to begin with. His talent seemed to suggest he was worth taking a shot to fill a role at the end of a roster. It was even more shocking to see him join a Magic franchise that had a lot of bigs in front of him and give him little chance to play.

It is hard to say Jefferson did anything this year to build off of and improve on his season last year. He was good and solid and still looks like a NBA player for someone somewhere. But can he be more? That was the question left unanswered throughout the season.

Jefferson certainly remains one of the best players in the G-League. He is a player who will dominate that level no matter what team he is on. It was no coincidence the Lakeland Magic added him to a playoff roster and they took off.

It would have been a crime if Jefferson did not get at least a two-way contract. It still seems odd that he did not get a more complete and full look at the NBA.

The Orlando Magic did not take full advantage of Jefferson at the NBA level. Then again, without any injuries, the Magic had little room to give him much of a try. He did not find a way to fit into the roster and into the rotation.

There were few opportunities and Jefferson struggled to stand out and demand more playing time.

That does not mean his work ethic and his skills will not get him in line for it sometime soon. Jefferson is still knocking on the door of a consistent NBA spot. But he is not there yet. And that is the frustrating part of his season.

He is the kind of player a coach like Clifford likes. He works hard and knows how to practice well. But it is still tough to see how that translates to the NBA. His game is solid but not spectacular. And he plays like a player who is much bigger than he actually is.

So Jefferson’s status did not seem to change throughout the season. He is a solid player that is clearly too good for the G-League.

But he is still looking for his first real chance at the NBA.