Tristan da Silva Learning Magic's Culture in Summer League

Through a couple of practices in preparation for the NBA 2K25 Summer League, the Orlando Magic's culture has begun to resonate with 2024 first-round pick Tristan da Silva.

Marquette Golden Eagles guard Stevie Mitchell (4) knocks the ball away from Colorado Buffaloes forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the first half at Gainbridge FieldHouse. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — Acclimating to the NBA and the team you're a part of is often one of the more difficult challenges for a rookie as they make the jump from the college or international ranks.

While Tristan da Silva is as prepared as any college player to quickly adjust to life in the NBA after playing for four years at Colorado and starting for three, there's still plenty for the 6-foot-8 forward to learn. Among the things the 23-year-old forward has picked up on early into his tenure with the Orlando Magic is the team's culture.

"Defense and toughness," da Silva said on Monday. "That's a big thing here. Bringing that every single second you're on the court, playing hard, playing fast and leaving your heart out there."

Defense was the backbone of the Magic's success last season, as they were second in defensive rating and fourth in points allowed per game en route to winning 47 games and earning the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Orlando's defensive prowess and toughness were on full display in the playoffs, as it held the Cleveland Cavaliers to under 100 points in five of the seven games they played.

Da Silva showed growth on the defensive end of the floor in his final two collegiate seasons, averaging over a steal per game. He also set a career-high in blocks per game in his senior year.

The importance of defense was also a point of emphasis for Magic summer league coach Lionel Chalmers when speaking to his team at practice on Monday.

"It's very critical," Chalmers said. "That's what we stand for [and] that's what we do. That would always be the foundation of what we do. We'll start there and these guys know how important defense is to our organization. Today I told them defense is what wins championships. We want to keep building in that way and we want to keep continuing to create those habits and that's our culture."

Da Silva will get his first taste of NBA action when the Magic face the Cavaliers in the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas on Friday at 4 p.m. ET at the Pavilion.

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