NBA Mock Draft: Magic Select Top International Prospect

The Orlando Magic are slated to pick in the middle of the first round in this year's NBA Draft. Who should they take?

Jeremy Brener | Jan 30, 2024

NBA Mock Draft: Magic Select Top International Prospect /

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic are still in the middle of their season, but that doesn't mean the team can't look towards this summer's NBA Draft.

The Magic are expected to have a mid-round pick in this year's draft, and Bleacher Report tabs it at No. 16 overall. With that selection, the Magic would take Cameroonian big man Ulrich Chomche, who is currently training with the NBA Academy Africa.

Anthony Black Jett Howard — Jeremy Brener - The Magic Insider

"Ulrich Chomche is making official visits to colleges, as it remains possible that he plays college basketball and waits until the 2025 draft. But there figures to be strong enough first-round interest if he declares this year, just based on what he's shown over the past two months at the G League Showcase and Sunrise Prep Showcase," Bleacher Report writes. "For a 6'11" big with a 7'4" wingspan for translatable rim protection, the flashes of shooting, ball-handling and passing create some tempting pathways to and visions of upside."

The Magic have Wendell Carter Jr., Moe Wagner and Goga Bitadze in the fold at the center position, but the latter is a free agent at season's end and Wagner has one year left after this season. Chomche would come in as a developmental project, likely spending most of his time with the G League in Osceola.

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However, in a draft with few sure things, especially after the lottery, drafting for upside is key ... and Chomche provides a lot of it.

Published Jan 30, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.