There was a moment during EuroBasket that caught everyone's eye. It seemed to suggest Tristan da Silva was in for a different kind of season this year.
Da Silva, mostly used as a 3-and-D wing in his first run with the German national team, caught the ball on the wing, faked a shot, and then drove past his defender. He was in a race to the rim before the defense could react and glided toward the basket, beating his defender for a monstrous jam.
It was a small moment, a highlight play in a championship tournament run. But it was illuminating.
All offseason, the Orlando Magic had asked their second-year forward to be more aggressive. They wanted him to look to attack and expand his role. He spent his Summer League making mistakes and turning the ball over, all in an effort to push him to the front and get him more comfortable doing more.
At EuroBasket, da Silva still looked something like a rookie. It was his first time playing for the national team and he was joining a well-established and successful team. He was looking for a way to fit in.
But that moment was part of the lightbulb clicking on. It was part of da Silva beginning to come out of his shell. It is the kind of moment the Magic are betting on seeing more this season.
"It's definitely momentum," da Silva said after practice Thursday. "That's still in the back of my mind still. That is something that kind of boosts me. It's a really pleasant memory for me. It ties into basketball and the way I played in the tournament. I'm trying to get this momentum into training camp and throughout the preseason into the regular season and into the postseason."
It was a breakthrough summer for da Silva. And just as he hopes that it dovetails into a strong second season, the Magic are banking on him taking a major leap, too.
The wind is behind him to take a major step.
A wild summer
Coach Jamahl Mosley had to sort of pause and marvel at the amount of work Tristan da Silva has put in this offseason.
Da Silva started with Summer League and a training camp to prepare for Las Vegas. In two games, he scored 37 points and shot 14 for 28 and 5 for 13 from three. It was a solid showing where da Silva was on the ball a significant amount.
He then went to Europe to play in EuroBasket for Germany. That was a breakout showing for him.
Da Silva finished the tournament averaging 10.4 points per game and shooting 18 for 34 from three -- posting a 72.4 percent true shooting percentage. In the knockout games, da Silva averaged 10.5 points per game and shot 10 for 15 from three. He had 13 points in the semifinal win over Finland and the final against Turkiye.
Da Silva was one of the standout players in EuroBasket as a slashing cutter and reliable shooter. It was exactly what the Magic wanted to see from him.
The question was just how much would carry over to his club team. A lot, it turns out.
In his preseason debut, Tristan da Silva started for Franz Wagner and had 12 points and three rebounds, again showing off this newfound aggression and confidence.
The Magic liked the progress they have seen from him.
"I think the best word that describes what I've seen from him is confidence," Mosley said after practice Wednesday. "He got the experience of getting to win a championship and understanding what it takes. He brought that energy and that attitude back. He is playing with a level of extreme confidence that we need from him night in and night out."
That has shown up on defense as much as it has shown up in his shooting and aggression. Da Silva returned to Orlando a much more aggressive and confident player after his offseason.
A big role to play
That is a big thing for the Orlando Magic. With the way their roster is constructed, they will need to hit on some of their draft picks. The way they constructed their roster, they are expecting some key young players to step into bigger roles.
Tristan da Silva is one of those players. He is expected to slot in and fill minutes at forward and should have a more consistent role for the team this season.
Last year, Tristan da Silva filled in as the starter when Paolo Banchero went down with his injury. He was thrown into the fire as a rookie, finishing the season averaging 7.2 points per game and shooting 33.5 percent from three.
Da Silva ended up out of the rotation by the end of the season. He played only five total minutes in the Playoffs.
That should not be the case this season, even if the team is healthy. Da Silva knows what is ahead of him now. He is better prepared to handle it and succeed.
He is not getting thrown into the deep end again.
"You just know what's ahead," da Silva said after practice Thursday. "I think that's the biggest thing for me. Last year, it was kind of uncertain. I didn't know what the expectations for me were, and what I could expect out of the season. Having a year under my belt and knowing how the coaches and my teammates think of me. Just knowing the impact that I can have this time right off the bat is really reassuring to feel comfortable about the season."
Da Silva comes to camp knowing what to expect now. He knows what the team is like and what the schedule is like. He knows his game better too. He spent an offseason expanding and growing his game.
He was at least an average shooter last year, and he was used primarily as a spot-up shooter last year. This year, da Silva will be expected to do a whole lot more.
He is riding a lot of momentum into the season and has turned it into what appears to be a stellar training camp.