After being selected with the 18th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Tristan da Silva and the Magic organization caught some heat for their selection, but he has been proving everyone wrong.
John Hollinger of The Athletic was by far the biggest skeptic of the Magic’s selection, writing:
“He [da Silva] has no realistic pathway to ever starting based on the composition of Orlando’s roster. Is this Jett Howard 2.0? Tristan da Silva can shoot, but I’m not sure he can play, which is why I had da Silva 51st on my board.”
Life before the NBA
Tristan da Silva played four years of collegiate basketball at the University of Colorado and was one of the oldest players coming into the NBA as a 23-year-old rookie.
In his final year of college, the 2023-24 season, da Silva posted career highs across the board: 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from the 3-point range.
Despite any concerns about his age, Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman spoke glowingly of da Silva after he was drafted. Weltman stated that he 'checked all the boxes' they were looking for regarding shooting, skill, IQ, character, positional size, etc.
“To check all four of those boxes with the 18th pick is a good day’s work for us,” Weltman said about drafting da Silva. “Tristan is a very unique player, he’s exceptionally skilled, and he’s one of the highest IQ players in this draft.”
Tristan's rookie season
After a significant abdominal injury to Paolo Banchero early into the 2024-25 season, da Silva was thrust into the starting role much earlier than he probably had anticipated. Tristan took advantage of his opportunity, and head coach Jamahl Mosley was impressed by his play.
“He’s been a pro for a while," Mosley on da Silva staying ready. "Playing overseas some, playing four years of college, I think you get a level of maturity that some guys don’t get. He's a rookie, but again, I always say he's older than some of our young guys."
Da Silva’s skill set, versatility, and experience proved to be vital to his productive rookie season. In 74 games, da Silva averaged 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 41.2 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from 3-point range.
Sophmore Surge
Tristan da Silva turned a lot of heads in Orlando with his stellar play, and he looked as if he were a seasoned vet at times throughout his rookie season.
Franz Wagner last year shared how da Silva grew early into his rookie season and how it helped the team.
“I think you can tell when you watch, he just knows how to play," Wagner said. "He’s always in the right spot, makes quick decisions out there, and makes the game really easy for everyone around him.”
The Magic made it a point of emphasis to bring in more offense-minded guys this offseason, like Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones, and even rookie Jase Richardson. All three of these players will be able to help set up and alleviate ball-handling responsibilities from Tristan da Silva and others. The 6'8 wing is poised to have a breakout second season because of it.
Tristan continued to build on a strong rookie campaign by playing phenomenal basketball over the summer, helping lead Germany to win the gold medal in the EuroBasket alongside Franz Wagner.
Tristan a Silva has continued to flash potential as a two-way wing who could be a Swiss Army Knife for the Orlando Magic, and expect him to take another step forward this season.