Starting July 3 in Sacramento and Salt Lake City, every NBA fanatic will look on at their prized possessions with bated breath.
It is a time when hoop dreams become reality for young rookies. And it is a time the players trying to get more than their cup of coffee in the league will hold on for dear life. Not to mention a mix of second-year players hell-bent on dominating the relatively easier competition they have faced compared to the previous year in the NBA
It is a batch of guys who fans have scouted since draft season to players whose names will not be remembered fast enough.
Summer League offers a unique glimpse into the ground level of an organization. It brings speculation, way-too-early predictions and verdicts, as well as fanbases ready to crown their next franchise player.
But while it is a fun and ever-changing two weeks, it usually does not amount to much.
And the impact on the coming season comes after the raggedy practice jerseys are taken off and put back on for actual practice leading up to the season opener.
The Orlando Magic are a little more than a week away from suiting up for Summer League and showcasing their new rookies while evaluating players trying to make their name on the roster.
But while we are here, in the midst of our own self-admitted excitement, we cannot help but fall into the trap when looking at the Orlando Magic summer league roster.
And who can blame us? A team on the rise and full of youth, like the Magic, should be cared about to a certain extent.
Some of the players on the court in July are going to be in that real uniform come October so it would behoove us to tune in.
On Thursday morning the 22-man roster for the Magic released their Summer League roster and that is certainly a lot of names to learn.
https://twitter.com/OrlandoMagic/status/1674419507392299017
So here are the top 5 players to watch over the next couple of weeks in what is the most important, high-stakes basketball you will ever watch.
5 players to watch at Orlando Magic Summer League
5. Kai Sotto
Perhaps the most internet-famous player on this list, Kai Sotto stands at 7-foot-3 and if he were to make the league he would become the first full-blooded Filipino in the NBA. He really has the hopes of a nation on his shoulders — as his strong Internet support would certainly suggest.
He is the only center on the Magic summer league roster and the tallest player in all of Summer League (so far in the rosters that have been revealed, although 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama is expected to make his San Antonio Spurs debut in Las Vegas).
So who is the mystery man?
Sotto, hailing from the Philippines, dominated at an early age in the Junior League of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). In his rookie year, at age 14, he won Rookie of the Year and led the league in blocks with 1.5 rejections per game.
In his second season, he led his team to a championship while winning the finals MVP. In the three-game finals series, he averaged 17.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 6.3 blocks per game.
In his third and final season, he won the regular season MVP while averaging 25.1 points, 13.9 boards and 2.6 blocks per game.
His production as a youngster caught the eyes of many college coaches and after moving to Atlanta to play for the Skill Factory — a college prep program — he was ranked as a consensus 4-star recruit.
In 2021, he decided to forego college to join the G-League Ignite team. Unfortunately for Sotto, he never played for the Ignite as he decided to play for the Philippine National team which – despite being able to return to the U.S. – provided too many COVID-19 logistical issues for him to play.
He was later released and the earliest he could enter the draft was 2022 so he was caught in no-mans-land.
Continuing his quest to the NBA he would sign with a team in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) and enter his name into the 2022 NBA Draft.
Although he faced another setback when he went undrafted, Sotto dug in his heels and played another season in the NBL and got more play in the Japanese B.League.
He played decently in Australia the past two years, averaging 7.1 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game in 14.0 minutes per game in his two seasons playing in Australia.
Now, two weeks after receiving an invite from the Orlando Magic, he will have the best opportunity of his life to make the NBA.
5 players to watch at Orlando Magic Summer League
4. Kevon Harris
Kevon Harris is a two-way player whom the Orlando Magic signed after the 2022 Summer League where he played for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He played in 34 games last season for the Magic while shooting 37.2 percent from beyond the arc.
The Magic got the most out of him in the two-way contract. And Harris is under contract for a second year as a two-way player. Although he now finds himself playing behind a much more crowded guard room.
At 26 years old, Harris is looking to catch on within an organization to continue his development before it is too late. But he will need to show something to continue on with the Magic, especially after the selection of Jett Howard who is similar in size.
Standing at 6-foot-6-inches he is competing with the shooting guard/small forward wing type that is currently a log jam for the Magic.
What will keep Harris around is his shooting and hustle — which keeps most end-of-rotation guys around anyway.
Although for the Magic, that skill set is extra important considering their lack of deep-range shooting. So there is a path for him.
But he will need to take advantage of every opportunity he gets over the next few weeks.
5 players to watch at Orlando Magic Summer League
3. Caleb Houstan
Caleb Houstan played the most games of any Orlando Magic player on this list.
Logging in 51 games, four of which he started, Houstan has been a nice surprise since being drafted near the top of the second round in last year’s draft.
In the 2022 Summer League, Houstan immediately turned heads with a stellar performance. In his debut, he scored 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field, including 5-for-9 shooting from the three-point line.
While much of the national media was paying attention to Paolo Banchero, and rightfully so, the Magic faithful took notice.
And four days after his opening performance, he signed a rookie contract with Orlando.
Houstan had earned his keep and in the season opener he was the first player off the bench for the Magic.
But during the season his numbers were hard to interpret as he averaged 3.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game in 15.9 minutes per game.
He struggled with consistency and got phased out at times when the musical chairs of young players kept Houstan on the outside looking in.
And that is why he is in the Summer League again this year.
The Magic rotation will be hard to break into this upcoming season, and with adding two more lottery picks to the mix, Houstan will need to show an extra something in these “meaningless” games.
So look for him to put it to the man across from him as he will have something to prove.
5 players to watch at Orlando Magic Summer League
2. Jett Howard
One of the Orlando Magic’s two lottery picks from this year’s NBA Draft, Jett Howard adds much-needed shooting range while continuing the line of Michigan Wolverine players to walk through the Magic’s door.
Howard, the son of former NBA player Juwan Howard, was picked a tad higher than some expected on draft night but he projects to fit well with where Orlando is headed.
At Michigan he made the All Big-Ten third team averaging 14.2 points per game on 36.8-percent shooting from deep. He also led the Wolverines in threes with 78 makes on the campaign. He was one of the highest volume shooters in the nation, something the Magic desperately need too.
And prior to an early-season ankle injury, Howard looked sharp as one of the top scorers for Michigan (he ended the year as their second-leading scorer).
This is exactly why the Magic selected him at No.11 and why they believe he can have an immediate impact on their race to the playoffs in 2024.
But in the Summer League, to win over some skeptical fans, it would not hurt to show off those shooting skills from NBA range.
It will be interesting how many of the games he will play–especially with a 22-man roster–but Howard should be one of the best players out there for the Magic.
5 players to watch at Orlando Magic Summer League
1. Anthony Black
The sixth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and No.1 player to watch on this list, Anthony Black will compete for minutes in a crowded Magic backcourt this upcoming season.
In a move that surprised some, the selection of the point guard from Arkansas brought questions about where the front office goes in the future.
With Markelle Fultz and two former lottery picks also in the fold for the Magic, minutes will not exactly be handed out come regular season time.
And if he plays well — or up to the expectations of a lottery pick — the organization might need to make a decision sooner rather than later.
But for now, Black will lead the Magic in the Summer League and eyes will be glued to his passing and defensive ability.
As a freshman, he led the Arkansas Razorbacks in an unlikely run to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to the eventual champion UConn Huskies. He averaged 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
Black excels with creative passing and court vision but his shooting leaves something to be desired.
Many point to his shooting form as what will need some work and it is crucial he shows some improvement in the couple of games he will play (because it most likely will not be all five games).
He will most likely take the brunt of the criticism if he does not shine, and he will also get the adoration from fans wanting him to start on day 1 if he plays well.
The stakes for Black are a bit higher than Jett Howard or some of the other guys as far as media attention, but this will not be his last opportunity.
So it is important to enjoy the ride for the time he does play in this year’s summer league.