The Magic Insider

Orlando Magic's Anthony Black Underrated in Rookie of the Year Betting Odds?

Anthony Black was taken with the No. 6 overall pick by the Orlando Magic in June's NBA Draft.

Jeremy Brener

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ORLANDO - If the Orlando Magic wants to have a breakout season, the team will have little choice but to expect some quick development from its young core. This includes rookie guard Anthony Black, who arrives with a ton of potential as the No. 6 overall pick out of Arkansas.

Per DraftKings, Black is currently tied for the seventh-best odds to win Rookie of the Year this season alongside Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson and Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George.

The 2023 NBA Draft class has potential to be historic with San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama at the top, followed by Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller and Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson. Those players should have a chance to immediately make an impact in the starting lineup for those teams.

Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black
Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black / © Mike Watters, USA TODAY

As for Black, his path towards minutes won't be as simple. He enters a guard rotation with Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs ... all of whom are coming off strong seasons and have a lot of upside going into the season.

Could Black surprise sportsbooks and have a breakout season? Sure, but there are factors that may be beyond his control that prevent him from being one of the league's best rookies this season. That doesn't mean he won't have a chance to prove himself or carve out a role within the Magic rotation, but he likely won't become the team's franchise cornerstone like Paolo Banchero did last year.

Black and the Magic begins its preseason on Tuesday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

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Jeremy Brener
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.

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