Magic Report Cards: Wendell Carter Jr. Navigates Ups & Downs

Wendell Carter Jr. struggled through this season with the Orlando Magic.

Jeremy Brener | May 16, 2024

Apr 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) dunks / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO — Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. dealt with many challenges during his third full season with the team.

As one of the few players to be around for the entirety of coach Jamahl Mosley's tenure, Carter has been viewed as a major building block for the team's foundation.

Carter was eager to get going, but a hand injury in early November knocked him out for 20 games. While he returned, he seemed to lack the burst that he used to play with, and he admitted that he was struggling throughout the season to get his mojo back.

"It was tough," Carter said about the season. "And then it got to a point where I was doubting myself a little bit. Just being honest with it, but it was tough."

Despite Carter's struggles, he was able to push forward thanks to the encouragement of his support system, and he was able to play meaningful minutes during the team's playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I think a lot of people were outside this facility who was able to help me encourage me and keep me going because it got to a point where I just felt like I wasn't good enough," Carter said. "But on the flip side of that, the fact that I was able to come back from that to help our team get to the playoffs and do what we did in the playoffs ... I'm happy that I was able to do that for this team."

Carter is set to undergo another surgery on his hand in order for it to fully heal. Then, he will be able to try and become that strong rim protector he was working towards before his injury.

The nature of the season makes it tough to grade Carter, but the fact that he was able to produce at his limited potential gives him some positive points.

Grade: C+

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Published May 16, 2024

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.