NBA Draft: Magic History Serves Strong with No. 11 Pick

The Orlando Magic has picked at No. 11 in the NBA Draft three times before, and now it's possible that it happens once again in 2023.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 6, 2023

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic, two weeks before the NBA Draft, still hold the No. 11 pick.

The Magic acquired the pick as part of the final piece in the Nikola Vucevic trade back in March 2021, a deal in which Orlando appears to have fleeced the Chicago Bulls. The deal netted them Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner, and whichever assets come out of this pick.

The Magic could trade the pick, especially considering the fact that the team also holds the No. 6 selection, but if Orlando keeps it, the player will join a legacy of high-achieving No. 11 picks.

The first pick in Magic history was the No. 11 selection in the 1989 NBA Draft, where Nick Anderson was chosen. Anderson played 10 seasons with the Magic and was the last player still with the team from its opening night roster. He averaged 15.4 points per game with Orlando over a decade-long career with the Magic and is still considered to be one of the greatest players in franchise history.

The Magic didn't pick at No. 11 again until 2005, when the team took Fran Vazquez, but he stayed overseas for his entire career and never came to the NBA. The following year, the Magic was far more fortunate, selecting J.J. Redick.

Redick played with the Magic from 2006-13 and played key roles for Orlando during its 2009 and 2010 deep playoff runs. Some may argue that Redick found his footing in the league after his Orlando days, but he is far from a bust.

If the Magic drafted a player like Anderson or Redick with the No. 11 pick, Orlando will have another strong piece to the puzzle.

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Published Jun 6, 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.