Magic's Tristan da Silva 'Living The Dream' For Family & Friends

For Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva, the people who helped him reach this point in his basketball journey are who he plays for.

Colorado Buffaloes forward Tristan da Silva (23) dribbles against the Washington State Cougars during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — For many players who pursue their dream of playing in the NBA, the journey they embark on is rarely taken alone.

Family, friends, and coaches are often a driving force and play invaluable roles in helping someone on their path to reaching the pro ranks. As for Orlando Magic rookie Tristan da Silva, he reached the pinnacle of his young career on Wednesday when he was taken with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

What was once a dream had become a reality. Now, da Silva is focused on living it out for more than just himself.

"I feel like I'm living the dream for our whole family," da Silva said at his introductory press conference on Friday at the AdventHealth Training Center. "For everybody that I played with growing up [and] my friends. I still have that community that I played with growing up. All my former teammates, or my family, or my friends, this is also for them. For me to see them coming out to New York to the draft means a lot to me."

Da Silva, 23, played for four seasons at Colorado and was a three-year starter. The 6-foot-8 German-Brazillian forward averaged 16 points per game and shot just under 40 percent on his 3-point attempts in his senior season. Da Silva showed up when it mattered most for the Buffaloes in the 2023-24 season, averaging 18 points per game and making just over 56 percent of his 3s in three NCAA Tournament games.

On Wednesday night, Orlando's President of Basketball Operations, Jeff Weltman, credited luck for helping the organization land the Colorado forward at No. 18. Beyond da Silva's basketball ability, the Magic exec noted that he and his staff were more than impressed with what they learned about the 23-year-old forward in the pre-draft process.

"Everybody left in his path speaks glowingly of him," Weltman said. "We are thrilled to add Tristan to our team on the court, off the court, and in our community."

Da Silva's path to playing immediate playing time won't be an easy one. He'll be trying to crack the rotation on a young team, albeit one coming off a playoff appearance and its best season in over a decade.

That task is one da Silva is more than up for, but for the moment, he's soaking everything in and what it means to reach the peak of his young basketball career.

"It's just a fulfilling moment," da Silva said. "I know this is only the beginning."

Related stories on the Orlando Magic

• TRISTAN DA SILVA A GOOD FIT FOR MAGIC: The Orlando Magic's selection of Tristan da Silva earned high grades from NBA insiders. CLICK HERE
• DA SILVA REVEALS WHAT HE ADDS TO MAGIC: Da Silva is confident he'll play good basketball for the Magic in his rookie season. CLICK HERE
• DA SILVA EXCITED FOR "RARE" OPPORTUNITY: With the Orlando Magic being one of the NBA's youngest teams and coming off a playoff appearance, No. 18 overall draft pick Tristan da Silva understands the situation he's joining. CLICK HERE