NBA Draft: Magic Had 'Great Visit' with UCF Forward Taylor Hendricks
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic may not have to go far to get one of its guys.
The Magic had a pre-draft meeting with UCF forward Taylor Hendricks earlier in the draft process and impressed many, including president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman.
"We always start with the person, you know, that's what we do here," Weltman said. "And Taylor's a really, really sharp, bright guy who is motivated. We have really enjoyed spending time with him, getting to know him better. Obviously, he's on a trajectory that's kind of unique. But he's a great kid and ... we had a great visit with him."
Orlando has the No. 6 and No. 11 pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday, which begins at 8 p.m at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The potential top-10 pick was a standout in his lone season at UCF, who went 19-15 and reached the NIT Tournament. Hendricks averaged 15 points and seven rebounds a game as a freshman. From beyond the 3-point line, Hendricks shot 39.4 percent (61-155). He was also a presence on defense, leading the Knights and American Athletic Conference with 49 blocks.
As a team, Orlando was 25th in the NBA in 3-point percentage (34.6) and points per game (111.4). Defensively, the Magic were 15th in blocks (4.7) and points allowed per game (114).
The Fort Lauderdale native was a unanimous selection to the AAC's all-freshman team, was named to the second team all-conference and won the AAC rookie of the week nine times, including a conference record four straight weeks.
If Orlando hopes to take Hendricks, it'll likely have to be with the No. 6 pick as it's unlikely he'll fall to No. 11. Hendricks' ability to shoot and defend would address key needs for a team eyeing the playoffs next season.
While Hendricks may be redundant given his size and the position he plays, sometimes the answer you're looking for may not be far away. In this case, the answer may have played his college games 24 minutes away from the Amway Center.
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