The Magic Insider

Magic President Jeff Weltman Happy With 'Great' Draft

By selecting Anthony Black and Jett Howard, Orlando Magic president Jeff Weltman is happy with the team's 2023 NBA Draft haul.

Jeremy Brener

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ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic may have shaken some heads by taking two guards early in Thursday's NBA Draft.

The Magic already has a host of guards on the roster, including Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs, but added to the backcourt with No. 6 pick Anthony Black from Arkansas and No. 11 selection Jett Howard from Michigan.

Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman believes the team fulfilled the goal it set out for itself on draft night.

"We set out this draft to further add talent, character, basketball IQ, positional size, and I always say, the fit and the fight," Weltman said. "And you're looking at two high character, really smart, highly skilled fighters. And that's what wins."

Weltman also reiterated the idea of drafting "the person, not the player," and both Black and Howard fit the culture that the team is trying to build.

Black is known for his defensive abilities more than anything in his game, which will help the Magic fortify one of the toughest backcourts on that end of the floor next to Fultz and Suggs.

Howard fits more of an immediate need on the floor with his three-point shooting, and there's likely more of an open lane for him to shine sooner. 

That being said, both of them will have to earn their minutes against their backcourt-mates, all of whom have something to prove.

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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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