Why Orlando Magic Brings 'Excitement' Into Season

"It is actually great to see these guys mature and see their level of excitement, their level of camaraderie that you've just seen grow over time," Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is entering the third season in the Jamahl Mosley era and the team looks far different than how it was when he first arrived in 2021.

The team's core has some run under them now and has taken strides together towards becoming a consistently good NBA team. 

"It is actually great to see these guys mature and see their level of excitement, their level of camaraderie that you've just seen grow over time," Mosley said. "I think that's what I am most excited about other than getting on the practice court all together healthy. I think it's just being able to see this group's excitement and joy for one another."

Orlando Magic forwards Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero

USA Today

By playing as many games as they have together, the team has grown up in the league and gone through many struggles, trials and tribulations as a group. Orlando is hoping that the maturity this group is developing can help the team navigate the season and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

A big part of the team's drop in the standings over the past few years apart from developed talent has been health. The Magic started 5-20 last season, but once Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz returned to the court after missing the first quarter of the year, Orlando finished 29-28 the rest of the way.

If the Magic can parlay that late-season success into this year, it can be the key that gets Orlando back in the postseason picture.