Consistency Pays: UNC Basketball Product Powers Magic Win as Starter

Former UNC basketball star Cole Anthony impressed in his second start this season.

Former UNC basketball guard Cole Anthony / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Cole Anthony hasn't been a full-time starter since the 2021-22 season, his sophomore NBA campaign after getting drafted No. 15 overall by the Orlando Magic following his lone year as a UNC basketball backcourt sensation. That said, due to teammates' injuries and his emergence in clutch situations of late, the 24-year-old logged his second straight starting nod on Monday night.

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It marked only his second start this season. And the result was Anthony's team-high 24 points in the Magic's 103-94 road victory over the New York Knicks.

The former New York prep shot 9-for-18 from the field, 3-for-6 beyond the arc, and 3-for-4 at the charity stripe across his team-high 37 minutes against the Knicks. He added seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal while committing only two turnovers as a primary playmaker.

Through his 35 appearances for the Orlando Magic (22-16), now sitting No. 4 in the Eastern Conference standings, Cole Anthony is averaging only 7.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 13.7 minutes per game.

But all of those numbers are on an uptick of late. Plus, the UNC basketball talent's heroics, including a 35-point effort in a remarkable late comeback at home versus the Miami Heat on Dec. 21, have proved critical in a couple of the Orlando Magic's wins over the past few weeks.

Orlando next hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves at 7 p.m. ET Thursday.

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