NBA Mock Draft: Magic Takes 'Explosive Wing'

The Orlando Magic holds the No. 6 pick in the NBA Draft. What will the team do with the selection?

Jeremy Brener | May 18, 2023

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic has a lot of flexibility going into the NBA Draft.

With two picks in the first 11 selections, Orlando is a true wild card in this year's draft and has the potential to go in many different directions.

Among those directions is keeping the No. 6 pick to select Overtime Elite guard/forward Ausar Thompson, which ESPN suggests.

"The Magic are loaded with young talent throughout their roster, especially in the frontcourt, with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr," ESPN writes. "Adding an explosive wing with upside such as Ausar who can play anywhere from point guard through power forward makes sense with the roster pieces they currently have. Ausar's passing, defensive versatility and transition-scoring prowess gives him one of the highest upsides of any prospect in this draft, and his fit in Orlando looks strong provided he is able to space the floor adequately with his improving jumper."

Ausar, along with his twin brother Amen, will likely be the fourth pair of twins to go in the same round of the NBA draft, but first in the top-10. Amen is considered to be the prospect most likely to go first.

However, Ausar seemed to garner more recognition, being named the league's back-to-back Finals MVP and regular season MVP last season. His shot improvements show promise for a team in need of shooting, and his off-ball movements make him dangerous for any defender to guard.

If Ausar can make those adjustments as he joins the NBA, he could be the exact piece the Magic is looking for.

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Published May 18, 2023

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.