What looked like a Cinderella season for the Orlando Magic has become much, much more. After going 47-35 in 2023-24, largely due to 2022 No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero’s All-Star metamorphosis, the Magic are 10-7 a fifth of the way through 2024-25.
Yet, this time, it hasn’t been Banchero doing the bulk of the heavy lifting. He did get off to an excellent start, and is currently posting career-highs of 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game. However, the freshly minted 22-year-old has missed the Magic’s last 12 games with a torn oblique.
Magic Lottery Pick Anthony Black Is Developing Warcraft
Orlando didn’t handle Banchero’s absence well initially, losing their first four games without him.
Then 2021 No. 8 pick Franz Wagner elevated his play, and they were able to rattle off six straight wins. In that stretch, Wagner averaged 29.0 points, 6.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He converted 47.0 percent of his steals and 37.0 percent of his threes. This wasn’t the first time he’s gotten on a roll, but it was undoubtedly the best stretch of his career.
Banchero has had a front row seat to the show, as he’s been fully engaged with his teammates despite his injury status. Penning a first-hand account of Wagner’s performance for Andscape, he acknowledges that his frontcourt mate is being forced to play an unnatural role. Nonetheless, he commends him:
“Franz is a pretty naturally, calculated, conservative guy. He never wants to do too much, or he never wants to take the take the shot over to double team. With me being out, he’s had to do that and he’s done amazing. He’s really stepping into that role, and that’s what you want to see. He just got a max contract over the summer. And he’s playing better than what you’d expect.”
Wagner isn’t the only Magic player whose transformation was a difference-maker during that stretch though. 2023 No. 6 pick Anthony Black also found a new gear.
“From a year ago to now, his maturity has gone to a different level,” #Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said of Anthony Black’s growth. “His belief in what he’s capable of doing, his command of the floor…”
Full quote with video, via @Magic_PR: pic.twitter.com/NOBztIIFOy
— Mason Williams (@mvsonwilliams) November 21, 2024
Empowered by Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley and his staff, Black’s been much more aggressive than normal. During Orlando’s six-game win streak, the 6-foot-7 playmaker averaged 10.2 points, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 block per game. These numbers might pale in comparison to Banchero and Wagner’s, but there’s more to them than meets the eye.
Heating Up In Phoenix
For starters, Black capped off their win streak with a 20-point outburst.
Black wasn’t perfect; he missed five shots and had three turnovers.
However, he was putting pressure on the Phoenix Suns defense both in the paint and beyond the arc. When the Suns started to close out harder on his threes, he swiftly knifed his way through the lane. What’s more, he was able to draw a few fouls with his long frame, which led to eight free-throws. Add to that his reads and assertiveness as a facilitator and he looked not like a viable starter, but a high-end option.
Development Isn’t Linear
In the two games since, Black has averaged 10.5 points per game, helping to prove that all development isn’t linear.
He scored 17 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 20 while adding eight assists. Had he made all nine of his free-throw attempts, he would’ve scored 20+ points in back-to-back games for the first time in his NBA career.
In that game, his biggest issue was turnovers, as he had four in the first half.
Nonetheless, Mosley showed confidence in his young point guard, who managed to finish the game with just six turnovers. More importantly, the nature of his miscues changed. Initially, Black just wasn’t focused; his handle was loose and his decision-making was poor. In the second half, the Clippers just made a couple of nice defensive plays.
In any case, Black might have been even more impressive as scorer than he was the previous game. Free-throws aside, he was even more efficient given that one of his misses was a heave at the end of the third quarter. His shot profile was more diverse as well, as he began to unleash his floater after a savvy set-up.
Making It A Habit
Black followed that up with a 2-8 performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, finishing the night with just four points while missing all three of his three-point attempts. Fortunately for him and the Magic, Wagner had bounced back from a subpar performance against the Clippers. Yet, despite Black’s cold shooting night, there was a lot to like about his play.
He attacked the rim all night. He consistently created space for scoring opportunities. Lastly, he missed a few shots, but one that he’s capable of making. The fact he wasn’t able to get to the free-throw line may have been what was most disappointing, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Is Anthony Black A Starter?
Black put a lot of work in during the summer. Earlier this month, he relayed to Responsible Gaming’s Spencer Davies that his focus during the 2024 offseason was “my floor game, my body… my shot and just my aggression with the ball as a whole…” With the way he’s currently playing, it’s evident that he’s actually walking the talk.
That being said, Black’s future outlook is murky. When he comes off the bench, he’s looking for his shot. Yet, when he’s with the first unit, he focuses on defense. This isn’t an issue in and of itself, but if he eventually becomes a starter, he’ll have to get more comfortable balancing those responsibilities if he wants to maximize his potential.
It’s worth noting that Black’s role is the same one he had in Arkansas though.
While a quality facilitator, the Razorbacks often placed him off-ball. This makes him more of a utility player than one categorized by position. So, down the line, it’s possible that Black starts alongside Banchero, Wagner, and 2021 No. 5 pick Jalen Suggs. However, the key will be him or Suggs becoming truly reliable three-point threats. To that point, both are shooting under 32 percent from deep this season.
