Magic Rookie Anthony Black Playing On 'Bum Ankle?'
Orlando Magic rookie Anthony Black had an impressive start to his professional career in the NBA Summer League, but was he playing while injured?
“(The Magic) already know I got a bum ankle, so they’re not going to really trip if I don’t have as much burst,” Black said in his YouTube docuseries. “I’m just going to go out there, get a couple of buckets, make a couple of shots, get some assists and rebounds.”
Black played as well as he could’ve hoped, averaging more minutes, points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals than any other Orlando player.
However, if an ankle injury truly hampered his play, what could a healthy rookie season look like for the Magic’s point guard of the future?
He’ll likely begin the season by coming off the bench but playing 28.4 minutes per game in Summer League; he still recorded roughly 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Last season Jalen Suggs played 23.5 minutes per game in a backup guard role for Orlando. With rumors swirling that he could be getting traded to avoid a log jam in the backcourt, it’s reasonable to speculate that Black could be taking those minutes.
If Black put up the numbers, he did in Summer League on a “bum ankle,” while teams could lock in on him as the focal point of the Magic’s offense. Then there’s a chance he can replicate his production when the regular season comes around, despite fewer minutes since he'll be surrounded by better talent and playing at 100 percent.
Hopefully, Black’s ankle injury will be fully healed by October so that Orlando has a chance at winning NBA Rookie of The Year for the second straight season, placing his trophy alongside that of heralded USA FIBA World Cup team member Paolo Banchero.
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