Orlando Magic eager to see Anthony Black grow in larger role this season

The Orlando Magic have largely operated behind closed doors this preseason. Friday's preseason finale is not even the full litmus test for where the team is at. They know they will show and learn a lot more about their team next Wednesday in Miami.

The preseason games for the Magic have been a mix of the team still figuring things out and testing the water on some different lineups and combinations. No one would call what the team has done revealing.

The players, of course, will talk in glowing terms. They support their teammates and look ahead with optimism for the upcoming season.

It is hard to hide excitement though. It is hard to tamp down what gets players animated.

And one thing has animated players whenever they have been asked: Anthony Black has shown out so far in training camp. Everyone is expecting big things from the second-year guard as his role expands.

"Oh man, he's been playing great I think," Franz Wagner said after practice Monday. "Especially more with the ball as a point guard, directing guys. It helps knowing the game a little bit having been in those situations last year already. I'm super impressed with his body. I think he's finding more ways to get into the paint and make plays from there which is what we need."

Gary Harris agreed with that notion, praising Black for his better physicality and poise leading the second unit in practice. It is hard to find anyone casting any doubt on Black. Universally, they have praised the gains and development he made this offseason.

Black has made this kind of impression throughout training camp. He was filmed at the AdventHealth Training Center throughout the summer, at least documenting publicly his commitment to work this offseason.

Whether he is ready or not, Black is expected to step into a bigger role. The team opted not to bring back veteran Markelle Fultz, opening the door for a player like Black to take his place. And the buzz throughout training camp is that he has been one of the group's biggest standouts.

Everyone is excited to see what Black looks like when the season finally begins. Black is seizing that opportunity.

"They are giving me a chance to play, make mistakes, just kind of run the group," Black said after practice Thursday. "They are trusting me, talking to me and helping me through everything. it has definitely been going well. Definitely feeling a lot more comfortable doing what I know how to do. It has definitely been a good camp."

Black had a productive but strange rookie year.

The sixth overall pick was forced into the starting lineup early in the season thanks to the lingering knee tendinitis early in the season. Black held his own, even anchoring the team through the nine-game win streak that set the tone through the early part of the season.

Black made his name more for his defense. His size and tenacity on that end were his major contributions to the team in that stretch.

But he was not used much offensively, posting only a 12.7 percent usage rate for the season. The Magic did not lean on Black to take very many shots or be involved offensively. He had a few big games—like his 20-point showing at Dallas. But those were few and far between (and all 20 of those points came in the first half).

Even in terms of touches per game, Black ranked behind centers Moritz Wagner and Wendell Carter with 26.4 per game according to Second Spectrum.

To say the least, the expectation this year is Black will be on the ball more. His expectation is he will play on the ball a lot more this year, an area he was far more comfortable throughout his playing career and at Arkansas.

Black is expecting to do a lot more this season

"We all know what he is capable of doing," coach Jamahl Mosley said after practice Thursday. "One, his voice, his ability to control the floor, be a floor general, communicate to the guys exactly what he sees and what he needs. Defensively, everyone understands exactly how good he can be and what he's capable of doing. He has taken another step from a leadership side and as a vocal leader as well."

Black said even during Summer League part of his goal this season was to "play off two feet" more often. That could rightly be defined as a call from him to play under control and be more aggressive.

Black said he is eager to attack the basket more and be more assertive. That appears to be what the Magic are calling for him to do and where he has put his focus.

Black has looked solid in two preseason games, showing publicly what the team is glowing on privately.

He scored nine points on 3-for-6 shooting with four assists against the New Orleans Pelicans and 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting with six rebounds (and three turnovers) against the San Antonio Spurs.

There is still plenty of room for him to keep growing, of course. But he came out in both games far more aggressive looking to create for teammates and get downhill to the basket.

Black said he learned a lot from playing off the ball last year and it was good for his overall development. But he is looking forward to being on the ball again and getting back to the way he has played his entire career.

More importantly, after getting thrown into the deep end last year, he feels ready for the responsibility.

"I feel like honestly it's just my mentality," Black said after practice Thursday. "I'm back in that mode of going downhill and getting to the rim and being physical. I've definitely put in a lot of work. But it's definitely my mentality."

Black has been preparing for this opportunity all summer. And if everyone is to be believed, he is going to be one of the standouts and players who took a major step.

Nobody really knows, of course, until the regular season begins. The whole team is eager to get started for real. And everyone is eager to see what Black can do in his second season.