Buffs Beat

Orlando Magic's Secret To NBA Playoff Run Amid Injuries? NBA Rookie Tristan da Silva

Former Colorado Buffaloes forward Tristan da Silva is hustling through his first year in the NBA, carving out a solid role as the Orlando Magic's only rookie. He is now gearing up for his first taste of playoff basketball since a whirlwind March Madness run with the Buffs one year ago.

Harrison Simeon

Jan 17, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) warms up before a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.
Jan 17, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) warms up before a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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Former Colorado Buffaloes basketball star Tristan da Silva knows what it's like to compete on the big stage.

The forward played three high-intensity NCAA Tournament games after making a run to the final Pac-12 Championship game with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024.

One year later, as the NBA regular season heats up for the playoffs, da Silva is hurdling to the finish line of his rookie campaign with the Orlando Magic.

Despite Orlando's status as one of the league's premier young cores, da Silva is the team's only rookie, selected No. 18 overall in last year's draft. His time in the league has already required him to play more than half of the 124 times he suited up for the Buffaloes, as starting forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have each missed dozens of games due to injury.

Tristan da Silva Zion Williamson
Mar 13, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dribbles against Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Magic are also without Jalen Suggs (left knee trochlea cartilage tear) and Moe Wagner (left torn ACL).

"It's definitely different," da Silva said. "It's just the frequency of the games, not necessarily how long the regular season goes, I guess, because it's only a difference of a month, really. But [we] really play every other day, so I feel like that's a big thing."

For the first time in his career, da Silva was forced to step up last season. He was one of the stars of the show at Colorado, starting 98 percent of the time after his freshman season and averaging 16 points and five rebounds between his junior and senior years.

He joined Cody Williams (Utah Jazz) and KJ Simpson (Charlotte Hornets) in a historic Buffaloes NBA draft class, but da Silva has shown the most promise of the three, even while being catapulted into the spotlight.

With 13 contests left in the regular season, da Silva has appeared in 65 and started 36. The forward has averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

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Even while catching an injury bug, the Magic currently sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. They have da Silva's 26.8 minutes per game between Nov. 3 and Jan. 21 to thank, as staying afloat without stars like Banchero and Wagner was no easy task.

Da Silva is coached by another former Buff, Jamahl Mosley. The 2024 Coach of the Year finalist had high praise for his rookie, citing da Silva's ability to learn on the fly and stay resilient throughout his morphing role.

"He's still continuing to take that all in," Mosley said. "It's a lot for a young rookie in this situation, but he's taken it all in stride, and he continues to learn as the games go on; just understanding the speed, the intensity, the physicality of the game, but also understanding the game plan."

Tristan da Silva Marquette
Mar 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles guard Stevie Mitchell (4) knocks the ball away from Colorado Buffaloes forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the first half at Gainbridge FieldHouse. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

In the current state of the NBA, staying level-headed often takes a mental toll on rookies, especially those pushed out of the nest earlier than anticipated. Da Silva's patience is a virtue that could carry him come playoff time, when pressure ratchets up on inexperienced teams like Orlando and almost always requires an unsung hero.

The Magic are 32-37 with 13 games left, good for eighth in the Western Conference standings.

"People told me this before the season started, but it's a lot of ups and downs and you've kind of got to stay the course," da Silva said. "I feel like I've done a pretty good job trying to do that with everything that was thrown my way. That's what I'm going to continue doing."

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Harrison Simeon
HARRISON SIMEON

Harrison Simeon is a beat writer for Colorado Buffaloes On SI. Formerly, he was a writer for Colorado Buffaloes Wire of the USA TODAY Sports network and freelance utility for FOX Sports, working at venues such as Empower Field at Mile High Stadium and Folsom Field. He is finishing his journalism degree at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he has passionately covered football, basketball, and other school programs through its student-run sports media organization, Sko Buffs Sports. As its Associate Producer, he has traveled to six states to cover events such as the 2024 Valero Alamo Bowl, the 2024 Pac-12 women’s basketball tournament, and the 2025 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship. He also captained the organization’s exponential growth in membership and on social media, where his posts have been featured on ESPN and Bleacher Report. While with SI, he interns at the Boulder Daily Camera, one of Colorado’s most revered newspapers. He is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana.

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