3 reasons to believe in the 2024 Orlando Magic
3 reasons to believe in the 2024 Orlando Magic
Youth & Hunger
Orlando has the fifth-youngest roster for the 2024 season with an average age of 24.8 years old. For comparison, NBA star player Jimmy Butler did not make his first All Star Game until he was 28. The point being many of the team’s core pieces still have yet to form a ceiling.
The Magic are filled with young and talented players who are hungry to prove how good they are, earn more minutes, compete with the league’s best and, most importantly to Magic fans, finally win.
Take the Magic’s point guard situation for example.
Orlando has three players all with different motivations that ultimately lead to friendly competition for all parties.
Orlando has former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz holding down the starting position and playing great basketball early into the season averaging 11.4 points per game, 4.0 assists per game and 3.4 rebounds per game.
His current back up is Cole Anthony who at times looks like the team’s best guard averaging 13.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
Currently the third string point is 2023 No. 6 overall pick rookie Anthony Black. Black has been receiving more playing time in recent games and is averaging 6.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
Fultz should be motivated to keep his starting spot, Anthony should be motivated to try to take it, and the 6-foot-7, 200-pound Black should be motivated to be improve as quickly as possible because the recent play of his competition means his minutes will have to be earned and not given.
Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black and Jett Howard are all promising young players who fall under this category of young, hungry and talented but with room to improve. In many ways due to their injuries, the jury is also still out on how good Fultz and Isaac can be as well.
Next. What to know about the Orlando Magic's In-Season Touranment. dark
The potential for improvement and Orlando having this volume of motivated youth and talent all together at one time gives the Blue and White faithful a reason not only to tune in, but to believe in Magic.