Orlando Magic have a point to prove at NBA All-Star Weekend
By Luke Duffy
If you’ve been paying attention to the Orlando Magic at all this season, well then respect to you, because you are most certainly in the minority. So far, we have witnessed plenty of losing, some frustrating injury luck, and the bizarre situation with Jonathan Isaac, which shows no signs of getting any less weird.
This is why the recent news that the format for the Risings Stars game (or now games) at the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland was received so warmly in Orlando. With four rosters of seven players now competing against one another, it gives a young group like the Magic a chance to shine.
Hopefully, the Orlando Magic will shine at NBA All-Star weekend, with Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, and probably even Jalen Suggs all being included
This is a wonderful opportunity for these young players and the Magic fanbase to really show out and make casual fans understand that they are overlooking what is going on in Orlando right now.
Let’s start with Wagner. You could make a legitimate case that he is the Rookie of the Year at this point, which, when you consider the luck the Magic have had with drafting lottery picks in recent years, is amazing. He has already shown more promise than Aaron Gordon, Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, and Mario Hezonja ever did.
He’s been named a Rookie of the Month once already, and his averages of 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists bode so well for the future. A three-point shooting percentage of 34.6 percent is hopefully moving in the right direction as well.
Wagner is the future of the franchise, but because he is in a small market, nobody seems to be really paying attention.Evan Mobley has been brilliant, and Scottie Barnes has (reluctantly for some) been really good too, but Wagner is right up there.