Orlando Magic rookies making an impact — even from the sideline

Jase Richardson has gotten a lot of mental reps this season.

The 25th pick in the draft has been a curiosity for most Orlando Magic fans as an undersized scoring guard. He seemed to have a lot of what the Magic would need to boost their offense. But he was a rookie. And the Magic leaned on veterans as they chased a playoff spot and more.

While Jase Richardson and second-round pick Noah Penda have had their moments on the court, there has been a lot of waiting and watching. They both know they need some on-court reps when they can get them.

Richardson was excited for the schedules to align then and give him and Penda the chance to get on the floor and get some on-court reps.

Both Richardson and Penda went on assignment with the Osceola Magic on Friday as they played the Cleveland Charge. They got their chance on the court and shined.

It was important for both players to touch the court and feel that rhythm again.

"Super fun, in my opinion, getting to play at Kia," Richardson said of his first G-League game after practice Saturday. "The guys were really welcoming and coaches really welcoming. For me, just trying to get as many reps as I can, whether that is in the G-League or in the NBA. Really grateful for it."

Richardson tallied 22 points and nine assists on 9-for-15 shooting in 31 minutes to lead Osceola to a 128-111 victory. Penda came off the bench to play 31 minutes and scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Both put together some highlight plays that showed they were standouts at that level. They were just in need of some reps and to get on the floor.

Tough to find playing time

The Orlando Magic have been able to play both of their rookies sporadically since the All-Star break. And their minutes are likely to decrease as the Magic get deeper into the Playoff chase. They want to lean less on mistake-prone rookies.

Richardson has not logged more than 10 minutes in a game since the first game against the Milwaukee Bucks, as he has given time to Jevon Carter to enter the rotation. Penda has not logged more than 10 minutes since that first Milwaukee game, too. Both are out of the rotation after the All-Star break.

Any playing time they can get is still very valuable. And that is a resource the G-League is supposed to provide.

"They are learning from what they see up here, whether they are playing or not playing, watching film with their coaches, understanding how they can contribute no matter when they step on the floor," coach Jamahl Mosley said after practice Saturday. "Sometimes when you sit and observe from the sideline, that is a big-time teacher and a big-time way to learn exactly what happens in the game."

Both Richardson and Penda have made their impact at various points this season.

In games where Richardson has played at least 10 minutes, he is averaging 8.0 points per game and shooting 46.5 percent from the floor overall and 18 for 51 (35.3 percent) from three. He has shown his spark-plug scoring ability that made him such an attractive draft pick.

In games where Penda has played at least 10 minutes, he is averaging 6.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Penda has proven to be a dynamic defender and finisher around the basket, constantly providing energy even as he continues to refine and develop his skills.

The Magic's rookies have outplayed their draft spots

Both have seemingly outplayed their draft position.

In a recent 2025 NBA Re-Draft from Christopher Kline of Fansided, he had Noah Penda going No. 14 and Jase Richardson going No. 16. Considering they were selected at No. 32 and 25, that is good value for a team that needs to get its draft picks right, considering its future financial commitments.

Both players seem capable of providing the Orlando Magic with what they need. They are just waiting for an opportunity and learning from the sidelines.

"I feel like I've been getting a lot of mental reps watching certain guys in the league and watching my team play," Richardson said after practice Saturday. "Just a lot of mental reps in that aspect. Got some physical reps playing in certain games here and there. That's why I found the G-League yesterday to be so valuable to get more playing reps. I feel like it has been a super great rookie experience so far."

It is hard to drop right into a G-League game and catch up to the much faster pace those games play at. Especially when you ahve not been playing very much lately.

That both Richardson and Penda ingrained with a new team and found their footing is as good a sign of what they have learned this season as anything else. It is proof that they have had successful rookie seasons.

Everyone should be eager for a day when they have bigger roles and to see them further develop. They both showed enough in their rookie years to continue further investment.

There will still be a lot of sitting and watching this year however. The Magic are in the middle of a playoff chase and their rookies still have a lot to learn.

Both have clearly ingrained some insight from these mental reps and learning from veteran players. Richardson credited Javon Carter for being an active voice in the locker room and giving him pointers as he finishes his rookie year.

Everyone should be thrilled with their seasons and eager to see them grow in their first offseason.