3 overreactions to the Orlando Magic getting the first-overall pick
By Luke Duffy
3 overreactions to the Orlando Magic getting the first-overall pick: 1. It could have been a better year
Alright, so it is not going to be all optimistic here. We had to draw you in somehow to keep reading. Obviously, there are no problems in getting the first overall pick, but the only potential downside is that this is not a can’t-miss year like we have seen before. There is no Zion Williamson or Anthony Davis, or even Karl-Anthony Towns, waiting for them on draft night.
Between Banchero, Holmgren, and Smith, there is still some conversation as to who is the best player and the right one to take. It might seem like all are can’t-miss talents, and that’s because, on the surface, they are. But remember, for every Kevin Durant being selected second overall, a Greg Oden was taken first.
So the Magic won’t have their decision made for them like the Oklahoma City Thunder (selecting second) and Houston Rockets (third) will. There is a degree of pressure to get this right and not just take the best available player when the time comes.
On the other hand, though, the Magic have always seemed to pick one spot outside the top-tier talents in the last decade. Whether it was Jonathan Isaac, Mohamed Bamba, or Mario Hezonja, they all came just after superstars like Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, and Trae Young. They even missed out on potential stars like Lonzo Ball and Evan Mobley.
So having their destiny in their own hands is a new feeling to them and one that they are going to enjoy. The Magic picked second in 2013 and took Victor Oladipo that year. That was a strange draft, and the organization was bad at the wrong time, as it was not a good year to have a top-three pick.
The concerns about this happening are not as strong in 2022. There might be no can’t-miss player at one, but the overall top group of players is just stronger than in 2013. The early feeling is that Holmgren is going to be the guy for them. His mix of unique skillset and size, despite the wiry frame, adds up to the kind of player that the Magic front office seems to always gravitate towards.