Orlando Magic NBA Draft Preview: Prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament

The Orlando Magic are four games out of the Play-In Tournament and have 13 games left in the season to catch the 10th-seed Washington Wizards.

ESPN has given them a 2% chance of making the playoffs, so many Magic fans will turn their interest to watching NBA draft prospects in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Orlando currently sits fifth in the Lottery standings, which would give the team a 10.5-percent chance at the top pick in the draft — in all likelihood Victor Wembanyama — and a 42.1 percent chance at landing in the top four.

On top of this, the Orlando Magic could get the Chicago Bulls’ pick as part of the Nikola Vucevic trade if it does not land in the top four — the Bulls currently sit eighth in the Lottery standings with a 26.3 percent chance of landing in the top four.

The Magic have done an excellent job with their draft picks as of late, and will look to add even more upside potential to their roster.

There are several players that are projected in the NBA lottery that would make sense wearing pinstripes next season.

The Magic have options this summer with potentially two lottery selections and tons of cap space to spend. And this draft class is deep with talent. But most importantly it is deep with shooters.

As emphasized by many, this team needs spacing on offense for Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero to create.

Let’s take a look at six draft prospects looking to capitalize on a deep tournament run to solidify their value.

Orlando Magic prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament

6. Brandon Miller, Alabama

vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Thurs., 2:45 p.m. (CBS)

The highest projected NBA Draft selection in all of college basketball, Brandon Miller is a scout’s dream.

He is 6-foot-9 with guard skills and is one of the best freshman offensive weapons in recent memory, averaging the 33rd most points in college basketball (19.6 points per game) for the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Initially, his body stands out. He is long but can still control the game with the ball in his hands. Miller loves to work out of the pick and roll, rubbing off screens to create space for an open look or into a dribble move.

He has perimeter ball skills that are masterful for his size and has shown an ability to break down defenders with behind the back, between the legs and spin moves to shake the defense.

Miller makes these moves on the perimeter in tight windows with little wasted movement. These moves are purposeful to create space and not just for show.

This is impressive for a taller player to be so comfortable with the basketball.

Miller has ball control and does a decent job of keeping his head up to pass out of screening actions. He can pass into tight-window looks to bigs around the basket. But most of the time, he is looking for his own shot.

There are not many weaknesses in his offense and his combination of size and pick-and-roll skill will translate to the next level. At times he can seem to be lacking confidence in his shot, as he likes to follow his own shot to get his own rebound. But this is nitpicking.

He is a great rebounder and immediately pushes the pace in the open floor. Miller has the ability to make quick moves to get past defenders in space and at his size he is hard to stop.

If you close out to him, he is tall enough to pass over your head to an open teammate for layups. At more than eight rebounds per game, he can create consistent offensive possessions out of defensive stops.

Elite body control is hard to find in a freshman, especially for a player his size. Miller reads the defense and can drive to the basket into a finish or use his leg strength for a step back three.

He can finish with either hand and has excellent touch around the rim. He has a complete offensive package that is only going to improve.

On defense, he is long and emphasizes contesting shots by putting his hands straight up. The length alters shots and his effort to contest is there. Miller is a competitor and a vocal leader.

He loves to trash talk but also gets loud to energize himself and his team. This kind of player can be contagious to winning culture.

The NBA will do an in-depth investigation into Miller’s off court issues, but his on court abilities cannot be ignored.

He is a vocal leader who can will his team to win with his offense. He can score from anywhere on the court and is not bashful. We will get to witness what kind of winner he is in the coming weeks of March Madness and his first seeded Crimson Tide.

Orlando Magic prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament

5. Jarace Walker, Houston

vs. Northern Kentucky, Thurs., 9:20 p.m. (TNT)

Jarace Walker is a highly skilled player for his size. Standing 6-foot-8, he is a gifted all-around player who brings extreme athleticism and effort to the court.

He is a forward who has the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways, both offensively and defensively.

Walker is a surprisingly skilled scorer who has a diverse offensive game. He is able to square up big defenders and drive past them on the perimeter.

He can also use mismatches with undersized defenders through creating in the mid-post with his back to the basket. He can score as a cutter or rim runner when setting a screen.

Walker has great hands to catch the ball in space and finish at the basket. He also can back a player down and turn around into a fadeaway jump shot. His touch at 15 feet is what impresses the most.

There are skills that will translate at the next level for Walker. One of them is his ability to drive into the paint from the perimeter and finish with floaters and layups through contact.

He has a quick first step for his size but needs to tighten his handle as he loses the ball fairly often. He prefers driving with his left and extending over the top of defenders with his floater.

Walker has been shooting it well from three at 34.4 percent, but his form is in question and seems to have a hitch. This will need to be improved at the NBA level. He will need to have a consistent jump shot with a faster release.

The area in which Walker thrives is his energy. He is a disruptive defender who is consistently willing himself to high-contested steals, rebounds, and blocks.

He can switch onto guards on the perimeter and move laterally to close off driving lanes. Walker also can guard bigger players using his strength and leaping ability to contest shots around the rim.

His energy is contagious and is the engine that drives the Houston Cougar team.

Walker is a promising player who is a hard worker on and off the court and looks to be a team-first player. The question mark for Walker is what is his NBA prototype?

Is he a good enough 3-point shooter to be a stretch big? He only averages 1.5 blocks per game, but does his effort give him the ability to play the stretch five?

These remain to be seen, but he will look to showcase his 3-point shooting ability in the tournament as his Cougars secured a 1 seed and are a frontrunner to win the NCAA championship.

Orlando Magic prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament

4. Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas

vs. Illinois, Thurs., 4:30 p.m. (TBS)

Nick Smith Jr. was the third overall prospect coming out of high school and decided to play for the hometown Arkansas Razorbacks. But he had a difficult start to the season due to injury. He is starting to find his own as a college scorer and is another shooter the Orlando Magic could target.

At the beginning of the season, Smith Jr. missed six games due to right knee management, so it took him time to settle. So far, he has shown the ability to shoot the basketball and if you can shoot, you will find NBA minutes.

He has a quick release and has good size for an off-guard standing at 6-foot-5. Smith Jr. has a rip through move when defenders close out to get in the paint and use his floater well.

He can be crafty with different finishes such as finger rolls and reverse layups, but he shies away from contact and can struggle to finish, however he goes to the free throw line fairly often.

Smith Jr. needs to improve in a number of areas, and one of them is his playmaking.

He can be reckless with the basketball and have a “head down” mentality where he does not look to create for others. He does a solid job of finding bigs who cut to the lane for lobs at the basket, but he lacks finding open players on the perimeter.

As a former standout trying to find his footing in college, he is consistently looking for his own shot. His frame is small and does not look strong when he plays, often getting bumped with minimal contact or looking at the official after a turnover.

Smith Jr. will need to add muscle if he expects to contribute immediately in the NBA.

He is averaging 1.8 rebounds per 26.4 minutes and 41.7 percent on two-point field goals. He cannot handle the strength of the interior defense of the SEC and if he cannot create for others he would be categorized as a spot-up shooter.

Smith Jr. will have an uphill battle trying to display his talents in the NCAA Tournament, as his eighth seeded Razorbacks will face the Kansas Jayhawks if they advance to the second round. If he can contribute to an upset and a tournament run it will most definitely improve his draft stock.

Orlando Magic prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament

3. Keyonte George, Baylor

vs. UC Santa Barbara, Friday, 1:30 p.m. (TNT)

Keyonte George is one of the more pure shooters projected to be selected in the NBA Lottery. He is undersized relative to moOrlando st Magic draftees as an off-ball player at 6-foot-4. But he makes up for it with his quick release.

George is a proficient scorer who can get his shot off fast with fluid rhythm and has excellent shooting form that passes the eye test.

The Magic need shooting badly, and George is a 34.9-percent shooter from 3-point range on seven attempts per game. That is a lot of shots from behind the arc in college.

He is terrific off-the-ball finding space through down and flare screens while relocating to the corners for open shots. One attribute worth noting is his ability to take and make corner threes, which is becoming more and more of a touted skill in the NBA.

George not only can spread the defense with his shot, but he has shown flashes of his ability to create, making him a threat from anywhere on the court. He has a quick pull-up midrange after attacking the top foot of the defender.

He takes a look at the basket while in a triple-threat, freezing the defender as if he is looking to shoot, then he rips through their top foot to force them to back pedal.

Once this occurs, he can stop on a dime for quick mid-range jump shots. His release is so quick that he can get them off over most guards in college basketball.

He possesses the ability to attack the paint and handle the ball, but he struggles finishing over contact. He has fantastic body control for a player his age and always looks in-rhythm using his quickness to beat defenders off the dribble.

One area that has been noticeable watching George play is his playmaking ability on the fast break.

He is athletic and can push the ball down the court with his eyes up, and is exceptional at finding open teammates down the court for easy buckets. This will only improve in time when the game starts to slow down with experience.

In half-court settings, he struggles protecting the basketball and can be careless with his ball control, losing the basketball when driving or working out of the pick-and-roll.

He currently averages more turnovers than assists, which is probably a concern for NBA scouts, but George would be an off-the-ball shooter or secondary creator at the next level.

Defensively, George is one of Baylor’s better defenders. He uses his length, athleticism and quickness to disrupt opposing players. He has quick hands and excellent instincts, which allow him to anticipate passes and create 1.1 steals per game.

George is not known for his rebounding, but he is willing to seal his defender and attack the ball at a high point. He has great lateral movement, which helps him stay in front of his man and contest shots.

George is a well-rounded basketball player who has the potential to be a star at the next level.

Orlando Magic prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament

2. Gradey Dick, Kansas

vs. Howard, Thurs., 2 p.m. (TBS)

Gradey Dick is the shooter of the NBA lottery. He already has the ability to catch and shoot from well beyond 3-point range.

He squares his shoulder to the rim on each shot and his form is smooth. He is another prospect who will be highly touted based on his ability to stretch the floor and play off of teammates.

He stands at 6-foot-8 and makes contested shots. The release on his shot is high and quick. Dick needs very little space to get his shot off and is always shot ready when off the ball.

When watching film, he is in a shooter-ready stance with his hands up ready to catch the ball, set his feet, turn, and shoot.

Dick shoots at a great clip of 39.9 percent from 3-point range. He has basketball instincts and can see the way a defender is closing out to his shot to relocate with a side dribble to create space.

This is probably his most translatable skill to the NBA. Using minimal space to create a shot is what the NBA is becoming.

He is a player who knows his role as he shoots more than half of his shots from three. He gets hot in bunches and does not shy away from big shots and buzzer-beaters.

He relocates well on offense as Kansas coach Bill Self has implemented systems in his offense to give Dick open looks through screen actions.

Dick does not have a role at Kansas where he creates for others, so it remains to be seen if that is a part of his repertoire.

He has not had many showcases of his ball handling ability, and most of his baskets around the rim are off of cuts. He is an excellent cutter and picks moments to slip behind his defender to get open looks at the rim.

On fast break opportunities, Dick has shown his athletic ability to raise up over defenders for dunks or finishes.

These flashes are why he has slowly crept up draft boards. The shooting is there, and if he can also finish in the lane as a cutter then he will prove to be valuable.

He has been a solid rebounder so far this year at almost five rebounds per game and is constantly competing while on the court, but his defense is a work in progress.

Dick has struggled keeping quicker guards in front of him while some larger wings have been able to outmuscle him.

Dick will have a lot of eyes watching him to see if he proves to be a shot maker when the pressure is on during the NCAA Tournament. Kansas will look to win back-to-back national titles, and if they reach the pinnacle it will be a result of Dick and company performing at a high level.

Orlando Magic prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament

1. Cam Whitmore, Villanova

Lost 62-57 vs. Liberty (NIT First Round)

Cam Whitmore has excellent size for a guard at 6-foot-7 and is one of the more complete scorers in college. He is explosive and can create for himself with limited turnovers.

His playmaking for other teammates needs work, but he is one of the better offensive players at the top of this draft. He seems to struggle to bring effort on defense, but in time these mental lapses should be fixed.

Whitmore shoots efficient shots either behind the arc or at the rim, rarely in between. He plays with rhythmic ball handling that lulls the defender and a fluid jump shot. On the perimeter he can utilize the pick and roll to find space for his shot, but also is great at moving without the ball.

He has more confidence than most freshmen and is not afraid to shoot off the catch or off the dribble. He doesn’t try to do too much on offense and limits his turnovers by driving in straight lines.

Whitmore also has a quick first step where defenders have to play him on the perimeter based on his 35 percent shooting from three on 4.1 attempts this season.

His release is slow where he takes his time to set his feet, but this should be adjusted by the time the NBA combine rolls around. Shooting in the NBA has to be quick, methodical, and accurate with zero wasted motion.

He finishes well in the paint, but Villanova plays such a spread-out offense most of his shots at the rim are hardly contested.

At times, Whitmore can look slow, almost stuck in sand. This stamina will continue to develop as he is on 18-years-old, but he also possesses above the rim attributes.

He can explode off two feet to the basket for tantalizing dunks. Being able to jump off two feet keeps strong body control and allows Whitmore to finish through contact.

On defense, he has a tendency to stand up out of his defensive stance when off the ball. Luckily, at the college level, he can make up for this with his athleticism, but not in the NBA.

Discipline on defense will be a calling card at the next level, but he is willing to sacrifice his body for rebounds.

Whitmore comes from a long line of Villanova wings who have excelled at the NBA level and there won’t be many concerns about his ability to play in the league. The Wildcats are playing in the NIT this year, but as a projected top-10 selection, Whitmore will still be worth the watch.