Orlando Magic Second Round Picks: Who's Available?
The Orlando Magic currently possess two high-value second round picks in next week's NBA Draft at Nos. 32 & 35.
Barring a trade out of those spots, the Magic could find more than one immediate impact player in this year's draft.
Not only will the Magic be selecting in the exact same spot the Pelicans found Jones, but also three spots prior at No. 32.
So who are some possibilities with those early second round picks?
This time last year, you could not find Christian Koloko out of Arizona on a single mock draft.
But a breakout junior campaign projects Koloko as an early-second round selection due to his fluidity at 7-0 and elite rim protection.
The Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year’s rejected nearly three shots per game last season and received a First-Team All-Pac 12 nod.
Despite possessing a 7-5 wingspan, Koloko does not rely strictly on his length to be an elite defender.
His strong awareness, especially when switching onto guards is rare to find at his size, but Koloko showed multiple times last season his ability to stay in front of much quicker players.
While a little bit older of a prospect at 21 years old, Koloko’s ceiling will certainly entice a team in the early second round.
But if he is available for the Magic at No. 32, the one-and-done from Nebraska should be a target.
What could be stated as an up-and-down freshman campaign with the Cornhuskers, who finished the season 10-22 and last in the Big 10, the offensive burden often being put on McGowens shoulders, posting nearly 17 points per game while shooting 40% from the field.
A former Top-30 player in the Class of 2021, the 6-5 guard with a 6-8 wingspan, McGowens possesses prototypical NBA wing size.
While his field goal percentages at Nebraska are not eye-catching by any means, his 83 percent from the free throw line shows that McGowens has the mechanics to be an efficient shooter.
Getting to that free throw line by driving to the basket was where McGowens made his money. With over six attempts per game from the charity stripe, he has great body control and ability to absorb contact while flying through the lane
The constant defensive pressure he faced will not be the case in Orlando, who would likely take their time developing McGowens game.
While there are specific needs for Orlando, most second round steals in recent memory have been selected strictly based on the best player available.
With two early second-round selections, that should be the Magic’s front office approach come next week.
