NBA Top 100 Players: Magic Has Two Players Make List?
ORLANDO - Orlando Magic forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are among the top young players in the NBA, but did they land on Bleacher Report's prediction of the Top 100 list for the upcoming season?
Bleacher Report had Wagner at No. 52 and Banchero at No. 40 on its list. Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. was an honorable mention on Bleacher Report's Top 100.
Wagner jumped 29 spots after being No. 81 on last year's Top 100. Bleacher Report also described him as "almost certainly the Orlando Magic's best player in 2022-23." Wagner improved in points (18.6) and assists (3.5) per game. With his stat line, Wagner found himself in rare territory.
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"There are only six other players in NBA history his height or taller who matched or exceeded all four marks in a 1,000-plus-minute season," Bleacher Report writes.
Banchero saw an even bigger jump, improving 38 spots from No. 78 in last year's list. He had one of the best rookie years in recent memory, averaging 20 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Banchero was the first rookie to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists since 2003 when LeBron James accomplished the feat.
If Banchero is going to keep climbing to find himself the NBA elite, Bleacher Report noted one area of improvement is his 3-point shooting. Banchero shot 29.8 percent from beyond the arc.
"While Banchero's assist numbers may stay the same with rookie guard Anthony Black expected to join the Magic's rotation, his ability to facilitate at 6'10" remains a clear strength and plus for Orlando's frontcourt," Bleacher Report writes.
There's no disputing Banchero and Wagner's potential. If their play next season warrants a similar jump to the one they made on this year's list, Orlando could improve similarly as a team.
