Caleb Houstan 'Real Happy' to Join Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic drafted Caleb Houstan with the 32nd pick in the draft. How much will he contribute in his rookie season?

Jeremy Brener | Oct 3, 2022

Caleb Houstan 'Real Happy' to Join Orlando Magic /

In this story:

Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - Caleb Houstan holds the distinction of being the youngest player on the second-youngest team in the NBA after the Orlando Magic drafted him in the second round of this year's NBA Draft.

Houstan was born in 2003, the same year LeBron James entered the league. In fact, James is one of the players Houstan looks forward to competing against.

"A lot of guys like LeBron, KD, Tatum, guys that kind of looked up to growing up, though, just to name a few," Houstan said.

At just 19, Houstan has a bright future in the NBA. But he might not be a contributor right away on a Magic team still figuring out how to give playing time to other young developing players. But despite landing on a young team, Houstan is still soaking up as much information as possible from veterans like Terrence Ross and Gary Harris.

"I think I could just be someone to come in and really learn from all these guys," Houstan said. "And I think got a young team, but very experienced team, guys with a lot of knowledge."

Being drafted onto a young team can be a double-edged sword. For players like Houstan, it can mean that the path to getting playing time can be easier, but the competition can be stiffer. Regardless of whether he plays in Orlando or the G League affiliate in Lakeland, Houstan feels he's in the right spot.

"I was real pleased, real happy," Houstan said. "Couldn't have asked for something else better."

Houstan and the Magic play in their preseason opener tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.

Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.

Published Oct 3, 2022

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.