lakeland magic

Josh Cohen

LAKELAND, Fla. - One of the more inspirational stories in the G League this season can be found close to home. Straight down I-4 in Lakeland is where Devin Cannady, formerly a two-way contract player for the Magic, has reestablished himself as one of the G League’s best shooters.

As you might recall, the 6-foot-2 guard out of Princeton suffered a gruesome injury while with the Magic’s parent club last season. On April 25, 2021, in a home game against the Indiana Pacers, Cannady sustained an open right ankle dislocation with a severe lateral ankle sprain after landing awkwardly while challenging Edmond Sumner’s layup attempt.

Some players never fully rebound from a major injury. Sometimes the reason for that is physical, where the body doesn’t react well to treatment. Other times, the mental grind is too much to bear.

For Cannady, neither was the case. Throughout his rehab, he was disciplined to the work while staying positive.

Now 13 games into his return following a nearly 10-month-long absence, the 25-year-old is playing as well as he ever has, averaging 15.5 points on 47.8 percent shooting overall and 47.9 percent from 3-point distance.

“I think the biggest thing for me is (it’s) a testament to you who you are as a man when you are faced with adversity,” he said recently. “Obviously, I wish injuries upon nobody. But it’s part of the game that we play. My biggest thing was just taking each day as it comes – the good and the bad. But ultimately, having my sights set on where I wanted to be at the end of it, which is at full strength, an ability to compete at a high level, continue to show my competitiveness, and my ability to lead into wins.”

Cannady originally caught the attention of NBA scouts while playing for Lakeland in the Disney bubble last season. He was named the Finals MVP after scoring 22 points in the Magic’s championship victory over the Delaware Blue Coats.

Just a couple weeks later, Orlando came calling and signed him to a 10-day contract. Impressed with his work ethic, positive attitude and shooting ability, the Magic elected to promote him, making him one of their two-way contract guys. His best performance came in the game before he got injured, tallying 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting overall and 3-of-5 from 3-point range against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Although he was waived shortly after his injury, Cannady continued to stay connected to the Magic by watching the team from afar and cheering them on. Consuming as much basketball as possible while away from the court helped him grow as a player, which in part is why he believes he hasn’t missed a beat since returning.

“I’ve just the slowed the game down for myself by being able to sit out and watch,” he said. “At the end of the season last year, watching a lot of Magic basketball and basketball in general. And then, getting to see the game up close and personal from the sidelines really for the first time in my career allowed me to just come in and find my spots, move the ball well, help the team win, and obviously when I have a good shot take it and make it.”

Lakeland Head Coach Joe Barrer has done a lot of exploring with different lineups lately, just as Orlando’s Head Coach Jamahl Mosley has done with his group. Among them for Barrer is playing three guards simultaneously. Some of Cannady’s minutes have come with Jeff Dowtin Jr. and Hassani Gravett also on the floor.

All three have NBA experience. Gravett was with Orlando earlier this season while the Magic were shorthanded because of the Covid surge, while Dowtin spent time with the Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks this season.

“I think it takes pressure off a lot of us to think we have to do too much – whether that’s scoring, having the ball in our hands,” Cannady said. “I think the ball moves really well having three guards. I think Hassani and Jeff are more primary ball handlers, whereas I am able to space and guys that guard me don’t help out too much, so it gets them opportunities to work in the lane. It’s just really good having guards that can play multiple positions on the floor at once.”

With Cannady in the lineup, Lakeland has the G League’s best 3-point percentage, are second in overall field goal percentage, are fourth in assists, and are fifth in points.

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Devin Cannady is One of the G League’s Best Stories This Season

LAKELAND, Fla. - It was this time a year ago when the Lakeland Magic went on their tear at Walt Disney World, culminating with a championship victory over the Delaware Blue Coats.

Four-and-a-half games back of a playoff spot with 12 regular-season games remaining this season, Lakeland has all the confidence in the world they have what it takes to make another storybook run. And based on their recent play, winning three of their last four and five of their last eight, another postseason berth is certainly within reach.

Their offense, which over the last eight games ranks No. 1 in the G League, continues to ascend, largely because of the strong chemistry they have built.

“Right now, we are balanced,” said first-year Lakeland Head Coach Joe Barrer, an assistant the last few seasons under Stan Heath, who is now at the helm at Eastern Michigan University, his alma mater. “They play real unselfishly offensively. Our ball movement, based on some things we measure, has been really good. It’s something we’ve preached all year – playing with the pass. (Orlando Head) Coach (Jamahl) Mosley has talked about that a lot with his group, so that’s what we’ve been trying to carry. That’s our biggest strength. The shots always haven’t gone in all year, but lately since coming back from the All-Star break, we’ve been able to shoot the ball real well. Our ball movement has been very good.”

A trip to Cairo, Egypt in mid-February to compete in the 2022 FIBA Intercontinental Cup helped jumpstart that camaraderie. It was the third time the G League champions from the prior year participated in this event. The Austin Toros, the 2017-18 G League champs, went to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2019 to play in the four-team tournament, while the 2018-19 champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers voyaged out to Tenerife, Spain to do the same the following year.

Unlike Austin and Rio Grande Valley, however, Lakeland left the host city with a victory, blowing out Egypt’s Zamalek, the reigning Basketball Africa League champions, in the third-place game. Hassani Gravett, who appeared in eight games for the Magic’s parent club earlier this season while they were shorthanded during the COVID outbreak, led five Lakeland players in double figures with 22 points in that win, while Jeff Dowtin Jr. scored 21 and Devin Cannady and Aleem Ford each had 18. Brazil’s Flamengo, which beat Lakeland in the semifinals, won the cup title by knocking off Spain’s San Pablo Burgos in the championship game.

With an Egyptian-inspired tattoo on one of his arms, Gravett has always been fascinated by the culture. Seeing hieroglyphs and exploring some of the top sights in Egypt, including the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, was a dream-like experience, and one that helped the team bond, on and off the court.

“I played last year overseas, so to go back out there, I was already kind of familiar with the rules and everything,” he said. “It’s a totally different style of play. I was actually very interested to see how our guys that haven’t played over there (would) react – and I just tried to do my best to prepare them for that. I think we enjoyed ourselves. I think it helped build a lot of team chemistry, on and off the court. As you see, we are looking way better as a team than we did in the first half, and I think that trip definitely contributed to that.”

Lakeland’s most recent victory came Sunday against the Grand Rapids Gold, the affiliate of the Denver Nuggets. A big win for a variety of reasons, but mostly because the Gold are one of the teams the Magic are trailing in the standings. Cannady, playing in his eighth G League game since returning from the ankle injury he suffered while on a two-way contract with Orlando last season, led Lakeland with 23 points on 6-of-9 shooting overall and 5-of-8 from 3-point range.

Being out of action for 10 months hasn’t at all hindered the 25-year-old’s development. He’s shooting 51.9 percent from behind the arc, the best mark in the G League this season among players who have attempted at least 50 shots from downtown.

“I’ve just slowed the game down for myself by being able to sit out and watch,” the Princeton grad and 2021 G League Finals MVP said. “At the end of the season last year, watching a lot of Magic basketball (and) basketball in general. And then, getting to see the game up close and personal from the sidelines really for the first time in my career allowed me to just come in and find my spots, move the ball well to help the team win, and then when I have a good shot, take it and make it.”

Another significant development for this team was getting Dowtin back in the fold. You may recall the game-winning shot he made for Orlando during the preseason in a game against the Boston Celtics. From there, he caught the attention of the league. The Golden State Warriors claimed the 6-foot-3 point guard off waivers immediately after the preseason ended and then signed him to a two-way contract. He appeared in four games with Golden State before getting waived in early January. A few days later, the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks picked him up for a 10-day contract.

The native of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, which is where Markelle Fultz was also born, is averaging 21.8 points and 7.1 assists in the 12 G League games he’s played in since returning to Lakeland.

“Being at that upper level, seeing how the pros operate, seeing how the game goes – it just gives you a lot of confidence knowing that you’ve been in those type of situations before and you had those opportunities,” he said of his stints with the Warriors and Bucks. “Just coming from the G League to the NBA and back down, you kind of see the growth in yourself and you see how you can play and be effective at the next level, and you kind of want to take those moments and those opportunities and translate it at the G League level.”

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Lakeland Magic Starting to Click at the Right Time

LAKELAND - In 2017 when the Orlando Magic brought their G League team to Lakeland, just an hour away from downtown Orlando by car, Magic Chairman Dan DeVos and CEO Alex Martins both stated the relocation gave the team the best opportunity to develop their young players and extend the Magic brand across Central Florida.

Now four years later and the Magic have not only succeeded in achieving those objectives, but they’ve also accomplished some amazing things with their play on the court.

Coming into this G League season, Lakeland was tied for the most regular season wins in the league. Playing in the Disney bubble last winter, they won the franchise’s first championship, blowing out the competition during the playoffs.

On Saturday, they celebrated that historic triumph with their fans at the RP Funding Center. The first 1,000 fans who entered the arena received a replica banner. A ring ceremony preceded their game against the Texas Legends, the minor league affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.

“I’m really happy for the guys. They played so well in the bubble,” Martins said. “Unfortunately, our fans didn’t get an opportunity to be there in person to see it, but it’s great to be here in person to see them receive their rings and enjoy the fruits of their labor.”

Key to the team’s success has been the commitment from the DeVos family, Martins, minority owner Steve Demetriou, Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and General Manager John Hammond, all of whom have been instrumental in creating a winning culture in Lakeland.

Connecting the Magic to more fans across Central Florida remains a top priority. Having their G League team back in Lakeland after a year-and-a-half away due to the pandemic is certainly going to help drive that in the right direction.

“When we first came here, there was some doubt from Lakeland of how supportive we would be having a team here and we wanted to encourage and instill in them that we are here to stay,” DeVos said. “This is an important part of the Magic organization, and it’s proven to be that. And they see the players go back and forth, working just exactly how it was designed, and I think it’s a great addition to the Magic organization.”

A couple members of last season’s title squad are back to try and repeat as G League champs. One of them is Devin Cannady, the Most Valuable Player of the 2021 Finals after scoring 22 points in that championship contest against the Delaware Blue Coats.

Although not yet ready to return to the court after suffering an open fracture in his right ankle shortly after signing a two-way contract with the Magic last spring, the 6-foot-2, 183-pound guard is ecstatic to be back in a familiar and family-oriented environment.

“The biggest thing obviously starts with my health,” he said about why he elected to return to the Magic and their G League squad. “Having a group that understands not only just who I am being in this organization both in Orlando and Lakeland, but the injury as well. I had a couple opportunities to go to training camps with different teams, but at the end of the day I think having that comfortability here with Orlando and Lakeland with obviously so many great people on the medical staff to look after me. I also feel like I can not only contribute here in Lakeland, but as well in Orlando. So hopefully being back under that umbrella will help that cause and I think my biggest thing is to grow – as a leader, as a person, as a man on and off the court.”

Also back is Jon Teske, the 24-year-old center out of Michigan who for two straight seasons has been with the Magic for training camp and the preseason. In 15 regular season games with Lakeland at Disney last season, he averaged 6.7 points and 3.5 rebounds. His offensive play elevated during the postseason, scoring 10.7 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the field.

“It’s a great organization to play for, be a part of,” he said. “I (represent) them on my chest. I wear that proudly. It’s an honor to me, in the NBA and the G League. Not many players get to this level. It’s truly a blessing to be a part of this organization. I just got to make the most of it. Do what I do, help the team win any way I can and just try to improve my game each and every day.”

Taking over as Lakeland’s head coach this year after Stan Heath returned to the college ranks to take the reins at Eastern Michigan, his alma mater, is Joe Barrer, an assistant under Heath each of the past four seasons. A big part of Lakeland’s success since inception, Barrer is excited to work in unison with Jamahl Mosley. The two share very similar principles, which bodes well for the development of the Magic’s young talent.

When he agreed to become the 15th head coach in Magic history, Mosley was elated knowing the team’s G League squad has had so much success the last few seasons. From his experience, it’s critical to have everyone across all arms of the organization on the same page with the same goals.

Spending much of his early coaching career working with young players, he’s aware of the impact the G League can make, not only on their basketball skills but also on their minds and bodies.

“I think it’s great. I think it’s fantastic the job that they’ve done and the job that they continue to do of keeping it all together,” Mosley said. “Bringing it in as one family. It’s really, really good. It just speaks to what they’ve done and speaks to the work that they’ve put in and staying connected.”

With Anthony Parker now an assistant GM for the Magic’s parent club, Adetunji Adedipe takes over as Lakeland’s GM. He’s brought back a few familiar faces. B.J. Johnson and Hassani Gravett, members of Lakeland’s 2019-20 team, join Cannady and Teske as players coming back for a second stint with the Magic’s G League squad.

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Lakeland Magic Celebrate 2021 G League Championship With Fans During Ring Ceremony at RP Funding Center

LAS VEGAS - Those who have played a team sport before at any level know based on their own experience just how critical team chemistry is. One of the main reasons it usually takes a few years before superstar players in the NBA win their first championship is because building chemistry with a supporting cast requires time and patience.

For a team like the Orlando Magic, who are in the embryonic stages of a rebuild, learning about which players mesh and what it will take for the young core to thrive together is a daily focus. We are seeing that play out in Las Vegas at NBA Summer League, particularly with the Magic’s three dynamic young guards. Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton are in the process of learning each other’s skills and figuring out what it takes to flourish as a unit.

There is one branch of the Magic’s summer league squad that already has built championship-level chemistry. It’s between the five guys who together helped the Lakeland Magic capture the 2021 G League title.

Center Jon Teske, forwards D.J. Hogg and Justin Jackson and guards Jeff Dowtin and Tahjere McCall have reunited in Vegas with the Magic just a few months since taking part in that unforgettable championship journey at Walt Disney World.

Their bond is both special and noticeable. It’s a boost, Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley says, to have a portion of the group who not only are already familiar with one another but also share something that the others on the team can get inspired by.

“That’s where the energy comes from,” Mosley said. “A lot of these guys are just fitting right into that because they also understand what it takes to win. It’s not just about the result at the end of the game. It’s about the daily habits. You see why the energy is so high here because they understand the habits that it takes to get into winning basketball.”

Lakeland’s championship run culminated last spring with a blowout victory over the Delaware Blue Coats in the Finals. Teske, the starting center that night just like he was in the Magic’s summer league opener against the Golden State Warriors, cherishes that entire G League experience. It helped him grow as a player and he’s using that success as a source of motivation.

At 7-foot-1, 265 pounds with a soft touch inside and a developing 3-point shot, the former University of Michigan standout is looking to show NBA front office personnel that he belongs in the NBA.

“Show the coaches what I’m capable of, how I can play, how I’ve improved in the offseason,” he said. “I just have to go out there and do my job and help the team win in any way I can.”

The same applies for the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Dowtin, a savvy, crafty and versatile point guard who scored nine points and dished out three assists in Monday’s win over the Warriors. He, too, has some added confidence stemming from that G League championship run.

It brings a wide smile to his face whenever he reflects on that experience, which taught him all about perseverance. Let’s remember, Lakeland didn’t start off so hot. They were 4-5 at one point and lost two straight games by double digits before turning around their season with five victories in their last six regular season games to advance to the playoffs.

That mindset has carried over to summer league and it showed in the opener against the Warriors when the Magic rallied from a second-half double-digit deficit.

“You can just see the way we play together, the way we are jelling,” said Dowtin, who played his college ball at Rhode Island. “We have chemistry. We’ve been together for a year now. It’s just been great and that flows on the court.”

Key to Lakeland’s success ever since the team relocated to Polk County in 2017 has been the commitment from the DeVos family, Magic CEO Alex Martins, minority owner Steve Demetriou, Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and General Manager John Hammond, all of whom have been instrumental in creating a winning culture in Lakeland.

The two main architects of Lakeland’s roster, General Manager Anthony Parker and Assistant GM Tunji Adedipe, have done an amazing job bringing in players who are not only talented but also driven by team success, which Lakeland has had a lot of.

In their inaugural 2017-18 season, they reached the postseason. The following year, they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. Before the G League’s 2019-20 season had to be canceled a little after the midway point because of the pandemic, they were in position to make another deep playoff run. And most recently, after entering the 2021 postseason as the No. 6 seed, Lakeland captured the franchise’s first championship.

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Together Again, Members of Lakeland Magic’s 2021 Championship Squad Share Special Bond

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10 Interesting Basketball Facts About Donta Hall

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10 Interesting Basketball Facts About Robert Franks

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10 Interesting Basketball Facts About Devin Cannady

ORLANDO - Since debuting in Polk County in 2017, the Lakeland Magic have won 60 percent of their regular season games (94-63), have reached the playoffs every year and are now the reigning champs after beating the Delaware Blue Coats at Walt Disney World in the title game just last week.

At the helm throughout this now four-year journey has been Stan Heath, a long-time college coach prior to taking the Lakeland job. Just as he did at every stop in the college ranks, the now 56-year-old has excelled at developing young talent and getting players, all of whom hoping to land contracts with NBA clubs, to jell and play team-first basketball.

Creating a winning culture starts with great leadership, and Heath, named the 2021 G League Coach of the Year on Wednesday, has been an incredible leader from the moment he arrived in Lakeland.

That’s been noticed by everyone in the Orlando Magic organization, along with others around the G League who marvel at Lakeland’s cohesiveness and discipline.

“The Magic family is extremely proud of Coach Heath, who is the most deserving of this recognition,” Lakeland General Manager Anthony Parker said. “The way Stan Heath coached teams compete, and the consistency with which they play, are positive reflections of the work Stan and his staff have put in each year. Throughout his four years, Stan has continuously grown and gotten better each season.”

One of 18 teams that participated in the G League’s truncated 2021 season at Disney, Lakeland won the championship largely because of its stout defense and selflessness on the offensive end. They had the league’s best defensive rating in the regular season and in the three playoff games combined drilled 52 3-pointers.

“Our team really bonded together,” Magic two-way contract player Karim Mane said. “We came together when we needed it the most. It really showed on the defensive end. Our defense was always good – as soon as the season started – but our offense picked up at the right time. We just had fun. We had a good group of guys. Everybody was feeling good about everything we were doing in the bubble. We really bonded together and that showed on the court.”

One of the team’s star players, Devin Cannady, who was named Finals MVP after scoring a game-high 22 points in the championship game, noted that a key reason for their team success was that they all played for one another and didn’t care about individual stats.

“The MVP trophy, I’ve said multiple times, is a team trophy,” the 24-year-old and former Princeton standout said. “The past eight games when we were on our roll, someone different stepped up every night. My goal has always been to be a team player on offense, be selfless on defense and I think that’s been one thing that’s contributed to our success. Winning the championship was the primary goal for us coming in here. We didn’t want to come in (and) go play individually, look for our own stats. We wanted to compete for a championship, which we did. The MVP trophy is just a team trophy.”

That attitude and approach originates from the top, as Heath, known for elevating players and instilling confidence in them, learned long ago that’s what’s necessary to be successful at any level.

It’s a big reason why all of the college teams he coached, including Kent State, Arkansas and South Florida, always improved.

In his one season as the head coach at Kent State, located in Kent, Ohio, the Golden Flashes went 30-6 and reached the Elite 8 of the 2002 NCAA Tournament. At Arkansas, the Razorbacks transformed into one of the best SEC teams while Heath was there. They made the NCAA Tournament each of his last two seasons as the coach in Fayetteville.

The last time South Florida was in the NCAA Tournament, which was in 2012, it was Heath that led them there. And not only did they make the field of 68, they won two games, beating California in the “first four” games and Temple in the next round.

Extremely appreciative of every opportunity he’s been given, Health is always quick to recognize those who have helped him get to this point of his career.

Among them are the DeVos family, Magic CEO Alex Martins, minority owner Steve Demetriou, Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman, General Manager John Hammond, Parker and Lakeland Assistant GM Tunji Adedipe.

“I can’t thank them enough,” Heath said of everyone in the organization who has played a huge role in fostering Lakeland’s growth and success. “It starts with making the commitment to come here (Disney). Everybody didn’t make that same commitment to bring a team into this bubble. They invested in us. They supported us. We really appreciate that. I told our players that from day one, like hey let’s show with our play our appreciation for allowing us to have this opportunity, so we’re very thankful for that. I think everybody feels really good about that investment in our basketball team.”

Another person who means a lot to him is Magic Head Coach Steve Clifford, who he’s learned a ton from the last few years. Together, they’ve accomplished a great deal. Orlando made the playoffs in Clifford’s first two years and Lakeland has been in the G League postseason every year. In fact, Heath has won more regular season games than any other coach in the G League since taking the job in Lakeland.

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Stan Heath Named NBA G League Coach of the Year

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