While the Orlando Magic have started the 2022-2023 NBA Season off slow and are still searching for their third win of the season, the future outlook in Orlando is brighter than ever.
Sitting at 2-8 and 15th in the Eastern Conference, the Magic remain one of the NBA’s worst teams and will likely have a top-five NBA draft pick for the third straight season. In spite of this, Orlando’s young roster has shown plenty of promise and stardom through the first ten games of the 2022-2023 NBA season. From 2022 No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero to journeyman wing Terrence Ross, these four players have enjoyed great starts while exceeding all expectations for the 2022-2023 NBA Season.
1. Paolo Banchero, PF/C
Just ten games into his NBA career, Banchero has exceeded all expectations that were set during the offseason. In his ten professional starts this season, Banchero is averaging 34.6 MPG, 22.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, and 1.0 BPG, all of which rank top-three among rookies. Furthermore, Banchero has been quite efficient, going 45.8% from the field, 23.1% from three-point range, and 75.3% from the free-throw line. In reference to his scoring hot start this season, it’s no surprise that Banchero has already rewritten the NBA record books. During his NBA Debut against Detroit on October 19th, Banchero recorded 27 points, nine rebounds, and five assists while shooting 11-of-18 (61.1%) from the field. Banchero’s 27 points were the most points by a No. 1 overall pick in their NBA debut since Allen Iverson in 1996, and Banchero became just the third No. 1 overall pick since 1969 to post 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists, joining NBA greats LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Just one week later on October 29th versus Cleveland, Banchero finished one point shy of the first 30-point game of his career, as he notched 29 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in the 92-103 loss.
”Paolo is selfless, tough, confident, high basketball IQ, willing learner – all of those things,” Magic Coach Jamahl Mosley said. ”He also has such a great gift of humility and I think that’s huge. He’s just blended in like he belongs here.”
2. Franz Wagner, SG/SF
Following a tremendous 2021-2022 NBA rookie season, Wagner has continued his excellent play six games into the 2022-2023 season. In six starts this season, Wagner is averaging 34.7 MPG, 17.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, and 1.1 SPG while shooting 46.7% from the field and 83.3% from the free-throw line. Although Wagner is shooting just 21.4% from three-point range this season, Wagner hasn’t had many open looks to the extended absences of Anthony, Suggs, Fultz, and Harris in the backcourt. More importantly, Wagner’s chemistry with Banchero has been on-point so far despite playing in ten games together.
“He’s a great player, he’s a great person, great teammate,” Banchero said when asked about playing with Wagner. “We have the same kind of I think view on where we want this team to be, just how we see each other playing together. I think we just clicked right away. Just building that chemistry on the court, building it off the court. It’s something we are working on and something we are going to keep building.”
Wagner’s vast improvement from his rookie season to his second season can be traced back to his participance in the 2022 Fiba Eurobasket Tournament. During the offseason, Wagner opted to sharpen his basketball skills as a part of Germany’s National Basketball Team rather than playing in the 2022 NBA Summer League. In partnership with current NBA players Dennis Schroder and Daniel Theis, Germany claimed third place behind Wagner’s strong international play. For context, Wagner averaged 26.6 MPG, 15.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.7 APG while shooting 53.1% from the field, 46.3% from three-point range, and 88.9% from the free-throw line. Furthermore, Wagner scored a game-high 32 points on 12-of-20 (60.0%) shooting from the field and 4-of-7 (57.1%) shooting from downtown in a group phase matchup versus Lithuania. In reference to his impressive play in Germany and Orlando, there’s no doubt that Wagner, the 2021 No. 8 pick, can continue his two-way success on the basketball court.
3. Bol Bol, PF/C
During the 2019 NBA Draft Process, Bol was an extremely touted prospect due to his physique, athleticism, and two-way play. Shortly after being drafted with the No. 44 pick by Denver, Bol’s NBA career hasn’t gone to plan. After enduring a myriad of injuries through his four-year career, Bol has finally seemed to stay healthy and find his footing in Orlando. In ten games (five starts) this season, Bol is averaging 22.9 MPG, 11.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 2.3 BPG all career highs. Similarly, Bol’s efficiency has improved as well, as Bol is shooting 69.6% from the field, 38.5% from three-point range, and 83.3% from the free-throw line. Due to Bol’s 7’2″, 220-pound frame, Head Coach Jahmal Mosley has been able to use all sorts of different starting lineups this season. In fact, Mosley has even opted for a starting lineup consisting of Ross, Wagner, Bol, Banchero, and Wendell Carter Jr., all of which are 6’6″ or taller. After signing a two-year, $4.2 Million Contract with Orlando during the 2022 Off-season, Bol looks to remain a key piece in the Magic’s Rotation for the future when healthy.
4. Terrence Ross, SG/SF
After trading franchise cornerstones Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier at the 2021 NBA Trade Deadline, many thought that Ross would be the next player to switch teams. As it turns out, Ross has remained in Orlando, even with the additions of Carter Jr., Wagner, Banchero, and Caleb Houstan in the frontcourt. After Orlando’s Backcourt suffered numerous early-season injuries, however, Ross has played a major role for the Magic through the first ten games of the season. In nine games (eight starts) this season, Ross is averaging 26.1 MPG, 9.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, and 0.8 SPG, while posting shooting splits of 44.9/40.5/66.7. In his eleventh NBA season, the 31-year-old Ross has provided Orlando with veteran leadership and experience, as the average age of the Magic’s roster, is just 23 years old. With Ross set to earn $11.5 Million in the final year of his four-year, $84 Million Contract he signed in 2019-2020, Orlando should look to acquire young players and draft capital in return for Ross’ improved play during the 2022-2023 season.