2024 NBA Draft

Dan Savage

Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and head coach Jamahl Mosley introduced Tristan da Silva, the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, to the media on Friday.

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Tristan da Silva's Introductory Press Conference

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Official Release

Magic trade draft rights to Antonio Reeves to the Pelicans

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic have acquired the unprotected rights to swap their own 2030 second round draft pick and their own 2031 second round draft pick from New Orleans in exchange for the draft rights to Antonio Reeves (Kentucky, 47th overall in 2024), President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

During the next eight NBA drafts (2025-32), Orlando has nine first round picks and 13 second round picks.

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Orlando Magic Acquire Swap Rights to Two Second Round Picks from New Orleans

ORLANDO –&nbsp;As the Orlando Magic went through their 2024 NBA pre-draft process, Tristan da Silva kept popping up as a player that would be an ideal fit for the organization at No. 18 overall.

He possesses a number of traits the Magic covet, made steady progress each season at the University of Colorado, and his on-court play indicated that he’s all about winning and making the right decision on each and every possession.

At the NBA combine, da Silva’s metrics, measurables, and meetings added additional validation to Orlando’s opinion of the 6-foot-8, 217-pound forward. So much so, that the Magic scheduled an in-person visit with the 23-year-old.

When da Silva came and met with the team at the AdventHealth Training Center, his on-court workout only piled onto the evidence that he would be a valuable selection for the franchise.

As they do with a number of the prospects that come to Orlando, Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and General Manager Anthony Parker scheduled a dinner with da Silva. While the act was semi-routine, their experience with the prospect was not.

While those sit-down meals with many prospects go for around an hour, their dinner with da Silva went nearly double that time.

“(It stood out) what kind of people they have in their organization,” said da Silva of his visit. “(At) my dinner and interview, Jeff and Anthony told me that usually those interviews go for an hour or an hour and a half, but we were sitting there for two-and-a-half hours. We could have sat there for another two and a half, it seemed like. I felt with the people that I was just clicking right away. It felt like the organization that you want to be a part of.”

From his play to personality, da Silva appeared to be a perfect fit. He’s one of the most versatile prospects in the draft with a high-basketball IQ. He can space the floor with his shooting, he’s a tremendous passer, and is capable of defending multiple positions.

“We set out with our goal entering this draft to add shooting, skill, IQ, and positional size,” Weltman explained. “To check all four of those boxes at the 18th&nbsp;pick is a good day’s work for us. Tristan is a very unique player, he’s exceptionally skilled, (and) he’s one of the highest IQ players in this draft – maybe in a lot of drafts recently.”

That high basketball IQ allows him to set the table for his teammates and make the right reads regardless of the defenses that are thrown at him – rare traits for a player entering the league. Fans got a glimpse at his vision for the game when he appeared on the&nbsp;Game Theory Podcast&nbsp;with Sam Vecenie as he dissected film with precision.

His IQ translated on the floor during his senior season at Colorado, as he averaged 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals and played a key role in his team’s Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament.

“That’s what basketball is about – skill, ball handling, vision, (and) feel for the game,” said Weltman. “It unlocks all of the other players. Really, Tristan is exceptional there, with positional size to go with it. He makes the game a lot easier for the other four players to play. He’s selfless. Even though he’s an older player, he has growth in him. There’s a lot more untapped that the NBA will actually unlock in him. He will make it easier for our primary creators to play. He can also shape up angles, read the floor balance, and do things that just put guys in the right spots.”

As the Magic’s president of basketball operations mentioned, not only will his decision making aid players like All-Star forward Paolo Banchero and standout forward Franz Wagner, but his ability to shoot will also help space the floor.

He shot nearly 40 percent from 3-point range over the course of his senior season and was named to the 2023-24 All-Pac 12 Second Team.

“I really just do believe his IQ, his ability to make people around him better, and more than anything his poise and his demeanor, while he’s on the floor (stand out),” said Mosley. “(He puts) people in the right position. Being in the right position. Knowing when to cut, when to move. The ability to space the floor as well. I think he has room to continue to grow. His ability to understand how to win in this league and winning habits that he’s developed through his journey.”

The Magic had plenty of background on da Silva not only from the tireless work of their front office, scouts and analytics department, but from other sources as well. Mosley played at Colorado from 1997-2001 and has plenty of connections within the university that all spoke glowingly of the prospect. Additionally, both Franz and Moe Wagner have ties with da Silva, who like the Wagners, was born and raised in Germany.

“One of my good friends that I played with in Munich is one of their best friends,” said da Silva of Franz and Moe. “I felt like every two months or so, I would get a snap or a phone call while he was in Orlando talking to them. It’s great to join that group. It makes it feel more (like home). I’ve already been in contact with both of them. So, I’m super excited to get out there.”

It appears da Silva and the Magic truly are the perfect fit both on and off the floor.

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The Pick Is In! Orlando Magic Select Tristan da Silva

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Tristan da Silva Checks All the Boxes for the Orlando Magic On and Off the Floor

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley and president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman spoke to the media after they selected Tristan da Silva with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

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Press Conference: Mosley and Weltman on Selecting Da Silva

ORLANDO –&nbsp;Draft night is one of the most memorable occasions in an NBA player’s career.

Most players vividly remember the location, the people around them, and their exact attire when they heard their name called on stage by the NBA Commissioner.

Orlando Magic All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, for example, rewatched his draft video nearly every day for months after being selected in 2022. He recalls “for the first 20 minutes, my heart was just beating out of my chest.”

Those memorable moments are set in motion by a phone call. For Banchero, his No. 1 overall selection will be forever linked to Magic Hall of Famer John Gabriel, who dialed in the pick that sent him to Orlando.

On Wednesday, another new and unique bond was formed. As the Magic were on the clock in the 2024 NBA Draft, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman turned to 17-year-old Logan Nieves to pick up the phone and help select the University of Colorado’s Tristan da Silva.

“It changes somebody's life,” said Nieves. “When I think about it, it's just something that I would never have imagined (would) happen to me in a million years. It really is awesome.”

It was a surreal series of events for Nieves, whose recent health scare sent him to AdventHealth. He woke up one morning just over one month ago with his eyes pointing in opposite directions. His father Ronald, who’s worked for AdventHealth in various roles for the past 25 years, immediately rushed him to the hospital. After a couple of days of difficult treatments, he’s once again feeling like his normal self.

The quality care Logan received at AdventHealth allowed him to return to normal activities and be able to attend a special experience offered by the Magic. On Wednesday night, the team treated him and his father with a surprise.

They were brought into the AdventHealth Training Center and taken on a behind-the-scenes tour that included a stop in the team’s locker room. There, he received a personalized jersey and draft hat that would prep him for the events ahead.

Logan and Ronald then took a seat in the facility’s dining hall, where they ate alongside members of the team’s staff.

And when the clock struck 10 p.m. ET, he was brought into the team’s draft room, where he phoned in the pick that became da Silva.

“To have a day like this, get to spend it with your father (is special),” said Logan. “We came here to an NBA facility and met people with the NBA. Just how neat is that experience as a whole? It's really humbling. I'm very grateful that I have this opportunity. I was also very intimidated when I first got the email because having this (experience and) exposure is just something I am all too unaccustomed with.”

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Orlando Magic Phone in No. 18 Overall Pick for Tristan da Silva with Help From 17-Year-Old Logan Nieves

Tristan da Silva spoke to the media after being selected by the Orlando Magic with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

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Tristan da Silva's NBA Draft Press Conference

The Orlando Magic select Tristan da Silva with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic have selected forward&nbsp;Tristan da Silva&nbsp;in the first round (18th overall) of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Da Silva (6’8”, 217, 5/15/01) appeared and started in 34 games last season as a senior at the University of Colorado, averaging 16.0 ppg., 5.1 rpg., 2.4 apg. and 1.15 stlpg. in 33.9 minpg., while shooting .395 (64-162) from three-point range and .835 (86-103) from the free throw line. He was named to the 2023-24 All-Pac 12 Second Team, earned Pac 12 All-Tournament Team honors and helped the Buffaloes reach the Sweet Sixteen during the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Da Silva played in 124 career games (98 starts) during four seasons (2020-24) at the University of Colorado, averaging 11.7 ppg., 3.8 rpg. and 1.6 apg. in 26.9 minpg., while shooting .386 (150-389) from three-point range. He was named to the All-Pac 12 First Team as a junior in 2022-23.

A native of Germany, da Silva played for Schwabing in the Regionalliga and with IBA Muenchen in the NBBL in Germany.

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Orlando Magic Select Tristan da Silva at No. 18 Overall in 2024 NBA Draft

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