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Blocking shots is what the 7-foot Chet Holmgren does best. He tied Brandon Clarke for the most blocks in a season in Gonzaga history with 117 of them. He had at least six rejections in five of his 32 college games, including amassing seven of them in the Bulldogs’ opening-round NCAA Tournament win over Georgia State. His 3.7 blocks-per-game average ranked first in the West Coast Conference this past season and fourth in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bigs nowadays need to be able to defend in space. If they can’t, coaches often pull them, especially down the stretch of a close game. Staying between a ball handler and the basket is something Holmgren did somewhat effectively in college. Even in times when they beat him off the dribble, he used that 7-foot-6 wingspan of his to get back into the play and alter, or even block the shot. Opponents shot 31 percent in isolation when Holmgren was the on-ball defender.&nbsp;

It’s stating the obvious, but the more 3-point shooters an NBA team has on their roster, the better they usually are offensively. Not a conventional big anyway, but Holmgren checks this box. He shot 39 percent from downtown on 105 attempts. Important, though, is that he’s not just a spot-up shooter. Some of his 41 triples came directly out of the pick-and-pop; some derived as a trailer in transition; and some he took pulling up after dribbling the ball up the court.&nbsp;

Holmgren’s 73.7 percent shooting inside the arc ranked No. 1 in the entire country, and his 69.1 percent true shooting percentage ranked No. 2. He also shot 87 percent right near the basket, where he was able to demonstrate his soft touch, nifty footwork, and ability to score through contact despite his thin 195-pound frame. Many of his buckets were dunks – either off lobs or drop-offs when he hung out in the dunker spot. He also occasionally showcased a Dirk Nowitzki-esque one-legged fadeaway.&nbsp;

While he has decent handles and is quite shifty for a 7-footer, Holmgren moves very slowly with the ball in his hands. Rarely will he elude a defender off the dribble, although he did occasionally shake off aggressive opponents with a spin move or a behind-the-back dribble, something you don’t usually see from someone his height. The bottom line is that for him to become a more prolific scorer, he’s going to have to develop more creativity when looking for his own shot.&nbsp;

This is the one you hear most about. Obviously, he’s very thin. He got backed down in the paint easily in college, although in some of those instances, he still managed to block or alter a shot. Encouraging, however, is that he’s unafraid of contact and, just using the eye test, seems to not mind a physical brand of basketball.&nbsp;

Ceiling: Pau Gasol/Dirk Nowitzki/Kristaps Porzingis on offense and Evan Mobley/Rudy Gobert on defense

Others he’s like: Aleksej Pokusevski on offense and Shawn Bradley/Marcus Camby on defense

Strengths:&nbsp;Shot Blocking, Defending in Space, High Basketball IQ, Finishing Around Basket, Great Hands, Floor Stretching, Shifty Movements, Length

Weaknesses:&nbsp;Shot Creation, Ball Security, Speed, Screening, Body Mass

College Roundup:&nbsp;Scored in double figures in 26 of his 32 games at Gonzaga, blocked five or more shots in seven contests and recorded 13 double-doubles. As a freshman, he was named a consensus second-team All-American, the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, and the WCC Newcomer of the Year.

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by Josh Cohen are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.

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2022 NBA Draft: Chet Holmgren’s Strengths and Weaknesses 

ORLANDO – Heading into their 2021-22 campaign, the Orlando Magic were focused on the growth of their young talent and constructing a culture along with winning habits that would set the organization up for future success.

At the conclusion of the season, Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman joined Mike Bianchi on FM 96.9 The Game’s Open Mike to reflect back on those elements, discuss some of the team’s key pieces and look at what’s ahead for the organization this offseason.

Here’s a recap of their conversation along with a link to the full podcast below:

Bianchi: “We knew this wasn’t going to be a season in which a very young team would win a bunch of games. With that in mind, how do you as the team president judge this season? Was it a success?”

Weltman: “Yeah. I think we accomplished a lot of our goals. We established a way of working and I’m going to say that was in large part due to our head coach (Jamahl Mosley) and coaching staff, who just did a great job keeping our guys elevated, and believing, and every day, man, every day, Mike, just showed up. If you’d of seen us practice at any point in the season, regardless of record, you would just be amazed at the spirit, and the energy, and the belief, and the togetherness that was felt throughout the whole group – on the court, off the court, organizationally. So, obviously, we knew we were going to take our lumps this year. We took them. But everybody knows that our future is in front of us and there’s a good spirit right now.”

Bianchi: “Jeff, you say that you accomplished a bunch of your goals. Would you say you pretty much got everything out of this season, not everything, but close to everything that you wanted out of this season as far as developing the young talent, you still have good draft picks left, and you didn’t get anybody seriously injured that wasn’t already injured?”

Weltman: “Yeah, Mike, I like that way of looking at it. (laughter) We’ll roll with that. I do think that our young guys – obviously our rookies – learned what it’s like to be in the NBA. They learned what it’s like to go through the marathon season that the NBA is all about. Jalen (Suggs) had an injury in the middle of the season that actually, I think, we’ll look back on it and say that was the best thing that could have happened to him. He used that time really productively, which I think says a lot about him, a lot about our performance staff and our coaching staff. Our analytics crew almost looks at our season like pre-Jalen injury and post-Jalen injury for the way that he looked and the way that our team looked. Our defensive rating skyrocketed when he got back from that injury. It’s a little tricky because we’re trying to evaluate individually and we’re trying to figure out what works going forward as a team and what’s going to put us in a position to win. At the very end of the season, obviously, we were able to bring Markelle (Fultz) back and the team looked different with him on the court. But overall, I would say, yeah, Mike, we have not pushed any chips into the middle of the table yet. We still have all of our draft picks. We’re excited about this year’s draft. Our cap flexibility. The young guys clearly improved. They got better and got integrated into our coaching staff. So, now, for the first time in a couple years, we’ll have a full summer. We’ll move into our new practice facility. And there is a lot of optimism throughout.”

Bianchi: “One of our listeners just texted in ‘do you believe that young talent gets used to losing and it becomes difficult to make a switch to becoming more competitive.’”

Weltman: “That is a great, great question. I can tell you that we studied a lot of rebuilds throughout the last twenty years of the NBA before we embarked on this path. Obviously, there is never a guarantee that you turn that corner. And that’s always the risk. But there’s also a risk in keeping a group together that doesn’t feel like it has the momentum to really break through to another level. I believe that it’s all in the relationships. It’s all in the work. It’s all in the character of the players and the connectivity of the coaches to the players. So, those are obviously elements that we have our antenna up for. But, no, I don’t believe that that’s going to happen to us. I believe that everyone in our group is spirited, they’re tough, they’re fighters, (and) they’re smart. We have a high IQ. We have a high skill level. We’re going to add more players like that. Obviously, we don’t want guys to grow up losing. But if you look at our team, and you look at (players like) Wendell (Carter Jr.) and Franz (Wagner) – I’ll go down the whole roster – those guys are fighters and they’re winners. The way that they play leads to winning. So, we just have to stay the course, kind of remain patient, and add more."

Bianchi: “You talked about coach Mosley earlier. Coaches are usually judged by wins and losses, but, again, we know what this season was about. Can you just elaborate on the job you thought that coach Mose did?”

Weltman: “Man, Mike. I just think he did an amazing job. I said coming into the season, ‘by the way with a young team, we also have a rookie coach.’ And I look at coach Mose right now as a different coach than the coach that entered the season. He has an understanding of how he wants to work, not just philosophically on the court, but even with his staff and how to progress through the rigors of an NBA season. I will say, I’ve always considered myself the most patient guy in the NBA, but I think I may have met my match. I have to tell you, this guy is a tremendous human being. Hs willingness to involve himself in others’ lives and take on what they’re taking on and go through that with them, it’s remarkable. He’s a great person. I think he grew tremendously as a coach. I have to say, the staff really embodied what he wanted them to be about. I’m really proud of all of those guys and I’m thrilled with the job that they did.”

Bianchi: “Everybody remembers the trade of last year where (Nikola Vucevic) got traded to the Chicago Bulls. Well, that trade netted Wendell Carter Jr. and the draft pick that got Franz Wagner. You have to feel pretty good about that trade now I would think?”

Weltman: “Listen, I’m happy for Vooch. Chicago had a good year and obviously, they’ll be in the playoffs. I always wish Vooch luck. But that said, obviously, I’m very pleased with the way that things worked out. I think that Wendell has already established himself this season as a top ten center. Wendell’s numbers reflect tremendous growth, but his game isn’t reflected by his numbers. This is a guy, who everything that he does is about winning – on the court, off the court. Tremendous young guy. Just turned twenty-three. His future is entirely in front of him and all that he does is lift his teammates up, on the court (and) off the court. Franz had a tremendous rookie season. I feel that he learned what eighty-two games is about. He came within a whisker of playing all eighty-two, which would have been a hell of an accomplishment. But the fact that he did play as many as he did, I think is remarkable in today’s NBA for a rookie. Those are two very smart, very skilled, very hungry guys who really, really care about winning first, and everything else second. Obviously, with that Mike, we have one more pick coming from them in a couple of years. Yeah, so far we’re pleased with those guys and it’s our job to continue to develop them the right way and it’s their job to work and I know they’ll do that.”

Bianchi: “What did you see from Markelle Fultz after he came back? What did you like about what you saw?”

Weltman: “Well, the first thing that we look at is how does the team play with any given player on the floor? And I think Markelle (with) his talent and his selflessness, just from the first game back just breathes life into the team. He’s such an amazing person. So, basically, what we saw I think was a guy who is exquisitely talented in creating offense for others, who has a high IQ, who has a crazy physical package of size and skills and vision, and I think he actually performed at a level that I probably would have not expected right out of the gate. He hasn’t played in fourteen months. There was a lot of rust there. I still think that he’s got a lot of growth and he knows it. We had a good talk yesterday. With his conditioning and just kind of tightening stuff up. But I think he’s on a track to be a high-level player for our team and he’s all about the right stuff. Again, he’s all about others and I think that’s reflected on the court. You could see the team really being lifted when he got back, and we played better. Very quickly, we played better with him on the court, which isn’t a surprise. That’s what it’s all about. So, very encouraging that when the young guys got their glimmers together, it looked good.”

Bianchi: “Mo Bamba showed some flashes this year, obviously. What’s his future with the team?”

Weltman: “I think what Mo really did, Mike, was Mo started to shoot the ball consistently as we have expected him to grow into over the years. That takes time. We always talk about guys growing into their bodies, understanding the rhythm of the league and the pace, and just kind of having the comfort level that it’s just another game. So, especially with guys with Mo’s body type, it takes longer than others. So, I think we’re starting to see Mo shoot the ball better. Obviously, he was healthier. The old line ‘no ability like availability.’ He was available more. I think the actual consistency, getting up and down the court is on the uptick. He’s still got work to do. He’s still a very young guy. He’s got a lot of progress in front of him, but to your question, look, Mo is a restricted free agent and right now our whole group is taking a big exhale. Everybody is kind of clearing out for a little bit while they decompress. We will regroup and try to get an understanding of how our group fits together and obviously, free agency is a two-way street. So, we’ll see where that goes, but we’re very encouraged by Mo’s progress. Mo is a great guy. Mo’s a great kid and he’s had a lot of bad breaks along the way with injuries and COVID, and etc. I was really proud of him, the way that he fought through those things this year and started to scratch the surface of the player that he should be.”

Bianchi: “Jonathan Isaac, as we know, didn’t play this year. He had a hamstring surgery, I believe, later in the season. What’s the prognosis for him next season and how dejected is he that he had this setback?”

Weltman: “Well, his surgery was on his other leg, just to be clear. Kind of a more minor – obviously the old expression ‘minor surgery is when it’s done on someone else’ – but I guess in the scheme of things a more minor (surgery) on his opposite leg. I would say that Jonathan Isaac gets dejected for a day and then he comes back and works with a smile on his face. He’s just an amazing guy. He sees the world differently than a lot of people that I’m around every day. He’s a fighter, he’s a believer, and he’s a relentless worker. He’s all about the Magic. So, he hasn’t really been able to get back to it yet from his latest procedure, but I know he’ll start ramping it back up soon, and get back on the horse, and get himself back on the court, and we go from there. He’s in a great frame of mind. He’s positive, as always. His mental makeup is unique.”

Bianchi: “Jeff, you said at the beginning of the interview that you pretty much accomplished a lot of your goals this year. What’s the goal for next year? Have you thought about that? Are we still in rebuild mode next year or do we start to see progress in the win column?”

Weltman: “You know, hearing you say my answer back to me that I was satisfied with the goals, I don’t really like hearing that, honestly, Mike, because we’re not content, we’re not satisfied. Our goals remain the same which are to develop these young guys. Everybody says you need stars in this league. Sometimes stars don’t always reveal themselves instantly. We’ve had guys that have had tremendous growth on this team, and I think that this team right now has a lot of potential. We’re talking about like two twenty-year-olds, twenty-three-year-olds, this a young, young team with everything in front of it. And they get along and they fit on the court, and they fit off the court. There are still evaluations to be made. There are still a lot of improvements that our guys have to make and that’s going to take a lot of work. And it’s going to take time. So, I don’t really think that we recalibrate our goals going into the season. I think that we ramp them up, we challenge our guys to get better, and from a team-building standpoint, obviously, we’ll look to add more. We’ll find out in about a month where we sit in the lottery and it’ll be an exciting offseason.”

Bianchi: “When do you decide who is going to play in the summer league?”

Weltman: “Summer league is generally about guys that really didn’t get a chance to play a whole lot. So, I’ll visit with the coaches about that and talk to Mose about it in the couple weeks to come. But I wouldn’t anticipate a heavy burden of existing roster guys in the summer league, only because they just played a lot. They got a lot of reps in the NBA. Summer league is generally for guys who didn’t get a lot of reps. If they are kind of feeling at a place where they want to go and get some reps, then we’ll obviously let them play. But I think we have our pick, we have two second round picks, and we also have a bunch of young guys in kind of other positions on our roster from Lakeland and two-way guys that I think performed well for us and I would be curious to see how integrated they are with us this summer.”

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Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman Reviews Season and Looks Ahead on FM 96.9 The Game’s Open Mike with Mike Bianchi

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic recently wrapped up their 2021-22 season.

The organization’s focus will now shift towards offseason workout plans, the draft, free agency, and other methods to help improve the team heading into their next campaign.

But before setting our sights forward, it’s imperative to take a look back and examine how the Magic set the foundation for future success throughout this past season.

It’s hard to believe that a team could finish an NBA season with a 22-60 record and go the entire stretch without pointing fingers, experiencing emotional outbursts, or losing focus of their daily task of working hard towards incremental growth. However, that’s exactly what the Magic did throughout the season.

Not only did they never turn on each other, they celebrated each other’s success, which was clearly evident in many of the hilarious walk-off interviews on Bally Sports Florida and exuberant locker room celebrations after victories shared by the team on social media.

“That’s something I’m super excited about,” said Magic point guard Markelle Fultz. “Being able to continue to build this chemistry, build this love for the game with these teammates, and we can continue to learn each other. … It’s not common that you have a group like this where everybody is very close to each other and willing to be around each other and get better.”

Whether it was the collective joy after earning Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley his first win with the organization, the genuine jubilation for rookie Franz Wagner after his stellar 28-point performance in a road win over Minnesota, or the players donning Fultz t-shirt jerseys on their way into the arena on the day of his return from injury, the camaraderie amongst the group was clearly authentic and unique.

“I think this locker room is great,” said Magic rookie guard Jalen Suggs. “I didn’t think it could get much closer to what I had last year with Gonzaga and how close we were, but everybody on this team has turned into my brothers. I love spending time with them, I love being around them, (and) I love being on the court with them.”

At his introductory press conference on July 12, 2021, Mosley painted a clear picture of what he wanted his team to look like on the court. On offense, they would play with pace, space, and the pass, and on defense, they would be a hardnosed, disruptive unit that would play until the final buzzer sounded.

Throughout the season, they made strides in those areas. While injuries and the team’s desire to see different lineup combinations towards the end of the season disrupted some of that progress, the Magic showed unquestioned improvement in bringing their head coach’s key tenets to life.

From Jan. 1, 2022 onward – a 46-game sample size – the Magic had a top-10 defensive rating (111.3) and were top-five in the NBA in assist percentage (64.3) and pace (100.59).

Over that same span, they ranked eighth in the limiting opponents points in the paint (45.5) and had the league’s fourth-best defensive rebound percentage (74.7).

Overall, the Magic set team records for most 3-pointers made (999) and attempted (3,022) in a season, shattering the old marks of 937 and 2,633 (2018-19).

“We talked about we’re going to compete every night, we’re going to work every day to get better, and we’re going to have fun doing it,” Mosley explained.

The Magic left the 2021 NBA Draft with two key foundational pieces. Both Suggs, selected fifth overall, and Wagner, selected eighth, were deemed to be cornerstone players for a franchise looking to rebuild around high-end young talent.

Undoubtedly, their development was a key component to this past season, and without question, both players and Orlando’s coaching staff delivered the organization’s goal of prioritizing their progress.

Wagner finished the season in thick of the league’s Rookie of the Year race and should be without question a member of the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team.

The 6-foot-10 forward finished first among his class in games played and total points, and his 17 20-plus-point performances were the fourth most by a Magic rookie all-time – trailing only Shaquille O’Neal (60), Penny Hardaway (29), and Dennis Scott (24).

Among the top-10 scoring rookies, he had the third-highest field goal percentage (46.8), second-best 3-point percentage (35.4) and top free throw percentage (86.3).

“Franz is very smart,” Magic guard Cole Anthony explained. “A lot of these rookies on these other teams, they’re getting the third, fourth, or fifth-best defender guarding them. Franz, night in and night out, is probably getting the best, if not the second best, defender on each squad’s team. That’s a huge difference, man.”

Despite injuries forcing him to miss 34 games of his inaugural campaign, Suggs also showed flashes of becoming a high-end two-way player. Amongst rookies who played in at least 10 games, he finished ninth in points (11.8), third in assists (4.4), and third in steals (1.2) per contest. Like Wagner and Anthony, he was named to the NBA All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars Game.

“The biggest growth for me came from my mindset,” Suggs said in his wrap-up interview. “The way I began to approach each day, the way I took advantage of each day, and constantly learned. Basketball has up and downs, I had my high moments, I had my low moments, but I had to go through all that to really understand who I was (and) really get some footing in this league. I wouldn’t trade, or go back, or do anything different because I needed this year. Looking forward, I’m just excited to get back, get to work this summer, and show everybody who I am next year and who we are as an organization.”

The steady player growth was not limited just to Orlando’s rookies. A number of the other core young pieces experienced some of the best stretches of their careers.

Anthony – From the start of the season to the new year, the University of North Carolina alum averaged 7.0 fourth-quarter points, which ranked fifth best among all players in the association. He finished his sophomore campaign averaging career highs in points (16.3), rebounds (5.4), and assists (5.7) per game. He’s looking to continue to build strength in the offseason and expand on his best stretches of the season.

“I have a lot of work to do, man. A lot of work,” he explained. “It’s going to be a big summer. Have some fun, work very hard, and can’t wait for year three.”

Mo Bamba – The biggest ability is availability. In his fourth season in the NBA, the 7-foot center posted career highs in games played (71), and contests started (69), and tallied tenure-bests in points (10.6), rebounds (8.1), blocks (1.7) and steals (0.5) per game.

“It worked wonders,” Bamba said of the role carved out for him by the Magic’s coaching staff. “I attribute that to the coaching staff that we have. There’s been so much communication, so many things that go on that (the media) doesn’t necessarily see to allow myself to be put in the position where I’m in the rotation, I’m playing those consistent minutes. Just the work in the practices, the off days, the late nights. We made sure the work would work.”

Wendell Carter Jr. – With the leaps the Duke alum made during his second season in Orlando, he drummed up some mentions for the Most Improved Player award. From a scoring standpoint, he proved that he could be a threat at all three levels.

Within five feet of the basket, he shot 72 percent, 12th best in the league among players who took 275-plus shots from that range. From 15 to 19 feet out, he shot a scorching 57.1 percent on 42 attempts, placing No. 1 among starting centers. Last season with Chicago and Orlando combined, he attempted 51 threes and made just 29.4 percent of them. This season, he racked up 214 of them and shot 32.7 percent. While he also showed growth as a playmaker and defensive anchor, he believes his biggest strides came in terms of his leadership.

“Even though I feel like I’m one of the younger players in this league, being on this team with a lot of younger guys – first-year, second-year players – I just went through the same things they’re going through right now,” he said. “Just being able to show them the ropes of the league, what to expect, what not to expect. I feel like that’s the biggest jump I’ve taken.”

Chuma Okeke also took tremendous strides in the second half of the season and R.J. Hampton closed out the campaign with a career-high 21-point performance.

Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman explained on media day that one of the elements of having a successful season for this young group would be properly reintroducing Fultz into the lineup after recovering from a devastating ACL injury in his left knee.

Between his relentless rehab effort with Orlando’s training staff, work with assistant coaches, game plan set forth by Mosley and the Magic’s brass and the organization’s steadfast approach to bring him back the right way, Fultz not only made his return, but finished out the season in an incredible fashion.

His per-36-minute stats in his 18 games played were 19.5 points, 9.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds per contest. Only Chris Paul and Trae Young had better per-36 assist averages among players who appeared in at least 10 games.

As his minutes slowly increased – Orlando placed a minute restriction on the standout floor general to ease him back into the rotation – so did his effectiveness. Starting the final three games of the season, Fultz closed out the NBA’s regular season calendar by putting up 10 points and a career-high 15 assists in the Magic’s victory over the Miami Heat.

“I really dialed in on trying to get better each and every day. Just a little bit better,” the University of Washington alum explained. “That’s all I really can ask for.”

The one reoccurring quote that Magic players echoed throughout their season wrap-up interviews was that “the sky is the limit.” While they’re aware that future success will be tied to hard work both this upcoming summer and the seasons ahead, they’re optimistic that with the talent of their young core and the coaching staff in place, great things can be accomplished.

“The sky is the limit and I mean that wholeheartedly,” said Suggs. “I don’t say that with fake confidence. I say that because I truly believe in it. You’ve seen flashes. We haven’t been healthy all year. We haven’t had our whole roster. When we’ve had some guys come back, other guys have gone out. That’s been a little bit difficult to get guys in rhythm playing with each other, comfortability, and things like that. What’s made up for it is how close we are off the court. Once we get a good blend of both of those this offseason, coming into next year we’re going to take it as far as we want to.”

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Orlando Magic Laid the Foundation for Future Success During 2021-22 Season

R.J. Hampton racked up a career-high 21 points, Mo Bamba also had 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds, Markelle Fultz set a new career high in assists with 15 of them, and the Magic matched a franchise record with 23 made 3-pointers in Sunday’s 125-111 victory over the Miami Heat at Amway Center in the season finale.

Devin Cannady, whom the Magic re-signed Sunday after his 10-day contract expired, drilled the final 3-pointer with 2:24 left in the fourth quarter. Chuma Okeke and Bamba each buried five threes and Hampton and Cannady each knocked down four of them. The other time Orlando made 23 threes was on Jan. 13, 2009 at Sacramento. It was the fifth time ever the Magic hit 20 or more triples.

Franz Wagner (right ankle), Cole Anthony (left toe), Wendell Carter Jr. (left wrist), Jalen Suggs (right ankle), Jonathan Isaac (left knee) and Bol Bol (foot) were out for Orlando. Jimmy Butler (not with team), Kyle Lowry (rest), Bam Adebayo (health and safety protocols), Tyler Herro (knee), P.J. Tucker (calf), Markieff Morris (hip) and Dewayne Dedmon (ankle) were unavailable for Miami.

Shaquille O’Neal recorded 39 points and 13 rebounds, Dennis Scott tallied 18 points, and Penny Hardaway posted 17 points, six rebounds, seven assists and four steals, as the Magic rolled past the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 10, 1996. Dan Majerle, who played just one season in Cleveland, led the Cavs with 25 points, while Terrell Brandon had 19 points.

The Heat are the top Eastern Conference playoff seed for the fourth time in franchise history, with 2013 being the last time they were in that spot. Should Miami be the favorites to come out of the East? Certainly, in their favor over any of the other contenders, including Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn, is depth. They are legitimately eight, nine guys deep, and that bench of theirs could propel them in at least one or two series. Herro is a lock for the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award, Adebayo is a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, and Erik Spoelstra is in the running for Coach of the Year.

As part of the Orlando Magic's continuing commitment to the Central Florida community, the team distributed 13 $50,000 grants and four $100,000 focus area grants totaling $1,050,000 to 17 grantee organizations through the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF) in a surprise ceremony on April 10 at the Amway Center. Over the past 32 years, more than $27 million has been distributed to local nonprofit community organizations through the OMYF.

"On behalf of the entire DeVos family, we are so honored to be able to give back to this great Orlando community each year on this very important day. The foundation of our family has always been one surrounded in community work. I truly am honored to be able to share in the excitement of all of these very deserving organizations." – Magic Chairman Dan DeVos

With the 2021-22 season a wrap, the Magic now turn their attention to the NBA Draft, which will take place June 23. Leading up to that will be an extensive prospect evaluation process. The Magic could pick anywhere between one and six, with the lottery happening on May 17 to determine the order. Several of the Magic’s current players have said they plan to stay in Orlando for a big portion of the summer to continue working on their craft.

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Magic Match Team 3-Point Record in Season-Finale Win Over Heat

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Photos of the Night: Magic vs. Heat (4/10/22)

ORLANDO - A word Orlando Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley frequently used throughout the 2021-22 season when describing the state of the team was “growth.”

After many of their practices, games, and other team functions during the season, Mosley raved about the progress he was seeing from this young squad. Their collective spirit, enthusiasm, and determination helped them withstand many of the challenges they were faced with, including injuries and inexperience.

For the Magic as a whole, helping others recognize the potential they have and showing them what it takes to achieve their goals, no matter how lofty they may be, is something that spreads beyond the hardwood. Daily, the Magic use their platform to give back to their community.

That was again conspicuous Sunday, as just an hour before the Magic tipped off their final game of the season against the Miami Heat at Amway Center, their charitable arm, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), distributed over $1 million to a combined 17 nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping at-risk children accomplish their goals.

“It’s great that we are able to do it working through the foundation with so many people who contribute to the foundation,” Magic Chairman Dan DeVos said. “Putting it in the hands of people who really make a difference here. These are the people on the ground every day working hard making a difference, so we are very proud to be able to associate with them.”

Even though they each offer their own set of unique services and programs, these agencies share plenty in common. Topping that list, without a doubt, is emboldening youth.

During Sunday’s ceremony, grant recipient representatives got a chance to bounce ideas off one another and game-plan for future projects. That’s a big deal for an organization like Harbor House, one of the four nonprofits that received $100,000 to specifically address critical needs in the areas of COVID-19 support and social justice and racial equity issues.

“We have an amazing community of support network, as far as a lot of the nonprofits that are out in the community, and then also the people who want to support,” Harbor House CEO Michelle Sperzel said. “Coming to things like this, I learn more about different nonprofits that we can partner with, and also celebrate people we already are in partnership with, and that in and of itself is fantastic because we share a lot of the same kids. That is a beautiful thing.”

This marks the 14th time that at least $1 million has been donated through the OMYF since inception. Each year, the Magic gives more than $2 million to Central Florida by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants. At the heart of the Magic’s charitable efforts is the work done by the OMYF, which is committed to helping children in Central Florida realize their full potential, especially those most at-risk, by supporting nonprofit organizations offering youth-based programs in the areas of education, housing/homelessness, the arts and health programs focused on preventing childhood obesity.

“These organizations are doing incredible work in our community, particularly with our children that are at-risk, and for us to be able to give a small check to them to help them with their work and help them grow their impact they are having in the Central Florida community is incredibly gratifying,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said. “It’s been a great journey under the ownership of the Orlando Magic by the DeVos family…This is a great day for us. This is one of our favorite days of the year.”

The DeVos family’s investment in the OMYF covers all administrative costs which allows for 100 percent of all donations to go directly to the foundation to benefit children and families in need throughout Central Florida each year. The OMYF raises community dollars annually through donations, auctions and events such as the OMYF Open Golf Tournament and the Orlando Wine Festival & Auction.

The Orlando Wine Festival and Auction, the signature fundraiser for the OMYF, was held March 19, 2022 at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes. The weekend of events featured exclusive vintner dinners, an outdoor festival featuring live music, live auction displays, an e-auction, local and celebrity chefs, wineries, and food pavilions, along with Magic players and coaches. Each guest also received an invitation to today's OMYF grant ceremony, where all funds from the Orlando Wine Festival and Auction, along with other fundraising opportunities, were distributed to these local nonprofit organizations here today. This year's Orlando Wine Festival & Auction raised nearly $700,000 for the OMYF.

In addition to the OMYF’s fundraising efforts, the DeVos Family Foundation is donating a total of $3 million to 30 area nonprofit organizations as part of the DeVos family’s 30 Grants for 30 Years initiative, which aims to invest in people and projects impacting youth, essential needs for families, and community enrichment across Central Florida. The DeVos family also assisted the OMYF with fundraising efforts in 2021, providing $700,000 to the foundation to make up for the shortfall due to the pandemic and the OMYF not being able to hold its usual fundraising events. Through that donation, the OMYF was once again able to reach the $1 million milestone in 2021 to help at-risk youth and families in Central Florida.

“The DeVos family made a very incredible impact on our community,” OMYF President Linda Landman Gonzalez said. “They, too, said these have not been a normal two years. They came together and asked how we can we go over and above what OMYF and the Magic do to really (make an) impact. Three million (dollars) for 30 grants is unprecedented. We’ve never done this before. It’s been extraordinary.”

Here is a list of the 2022 grant recipients and the amount they each received at Sunday’s ceremony:

Each of these 13 organizations received $50,000 grants

CITY YEAR ORLANDO
OMYF is proud to partner with City Year Orlando with a $50,000 grant investment Whole School Whole Child Team Sponsorship which delivers robust local engagement and visibility by supporting student success, employee involvement, and community investment. Funding will support 2,400 Evans High School students with math, literacy, and mentoring programs.

EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF ORANGE COUNTY
With a mission to provide every child with equal access to high quality early learning programs by supporting those who help children grow and develop, the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County’s vision is for every child in Orange County to enter kindergarten with the foundation necessary to reach their full potential. The ABC Infant and Toddler Care program will receive $50,000 to expand quality care and facilitates teacher development programs.

ELEVATE ORLANDO
ELEVATE Orlando will receive $50,000 to support their College and Career Pipeline Program, offering exposure and guidance to emerging industries and preparing students for thriving careers. Students are inspired to achieve academic success, visualize their futures, and prepare for their post-secondary journey.

HEBNI NUTRITION CONSULTANTS, INC.
Hebni Nutrition Consultants will receive a $50,000 grant to expand the Kyds Healthy Habits Program to reach 80 middle and high school low-income, minority youth who are at risk of obesity and other nutrition related diseases.  The program teaches students the importance of eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle, including growing their own vegetables and cooking healthy meals.

HOPE COMMUNITY CENTER
With their vision of being the premier center of hope and empowerment for Central Florida’s immigrant and working poor communities, Hope Community Center is receiving a $50,000 grant for their Hearing Our Stories program. 130 elementary school students and 50 middle school students will create a sense of belonging through art education.

IMPOWER
IMPOWER is dedicated to changing lives by protecting, counseling, teaching and inspiring individuals and families to reach their full potential. The Village Youth Homelessness Prevention and Transitional Housing program will receive $50,000 to help build life-skills, promote education, employment advocacy, and more.

ORLANDO BALLET
Using dance to provide life changing opportunities for those who might not otherwise have the chance, Scholarship Training for the Enrichment of Primary Students (STEPS) provides free ballet classes to second and third graders at Title I schools in Orange and Seminole counties. OMYF will be distributing $50,000 to the Orlando Ballet STEPS program to improve the lives of children through the power of dance.

ORLANDO SHAKES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UCF
Encouraging students to use theater to build critical life skills by exposing them to high-quality, professional productions and arts integration experiences in the classroom. Orlando Shakes will be receiving $50,000 to provide accessible and inclusive programming of “Magic Tree House: The Jackie Robinson Story” to 50 Title I schools in Orange County with accompanying arts education programming.

PAGE 15
Page 15 transforms lives through the power of words by using creative writing as the medium of self-expression.  They are receiving a $50,000 grant to continue to help youth, many at-risk due to poverty and trauma, discover their own voice and build confidence and resiliency.

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS, INC.
Professional Opportunities Programs for Students (POPS) mission is to enrich teenagers’ life experiences as they transition into adulthood by providing personal and professional development opportunities.  OMYF will be providing a $50,000 Grant for their P2DP Program to give at-risk high school students personalized development plans to prepare them for a positive future.

UCF FOUNDATION
WUCF, Central Florida’s PBS Station, provides strategies that take a whole-child approach to preparing children for kindergarten and is accessible to the entire community through PBS Kids.  The On My Way to K program will receive a $50,000 grant to expand and meet the evolving education needs of children and their caregivers.

TECH SASSY GIRLZ
Empowering middle and high school girls to pursue (STEM) science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, Tech Sassy girls is receiving $50,000 to support college preparation, career readiness, mentoring, and entrepreneurship programs.

ZEBRA COALITION
Zebra Coalition works with fifty-one separate agency partners to provide a continuum of vital services for homeless LGBTQ+ youth clients.  Creating a community where LGBTQ+ youth feel safe, empowered and inspired, Zebra Coalition will receive $50,000 for their Mental Health program.

FOCUS AREA GRANTS (each of these four organizations received $100,000 grants):
OMYF is taking an even greater role in the Central Florida community by investing in and strengthening our existing partnerships, especially those that most strategically align with their mission and focus areas. For the 2022 OMYF grant cycle, they will be distributing $100,000 for four non-profit partners who have specifically addressed the critical needs in the areas of COVID-19 Support and Social Justice and Racial Equity issues.

FOUNDATION FOR FOSTER CHILDREN
The Foundation for Foster Children EDUCATE Program provides a comprehensive approach to improving the educational outcomes of foster youth at each grade level. OMYF funding of $100,000 will support the expansion and scale of services offered to improve academic performance and outcomes, as well as long-term scholastic success for our community’s foster children.

FOUNDATION FOR ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Read2Succeed enables elementary school students to build critical literacy skills, giving young readers a strong literacy foundation and the support to increase their literacy knowledge and reading comprehension. Receiving $100,000, Foundation for Orange County Public Schools.

HARBOR HOUSE
Providing critical life-saving services to survivors of domestic abuse in Central Florida, Harbor House reduces transmission of intergenerational violence through interventions at Camp HOPE.  OMYF funding of $100,000 will support their life saving mission and provide hope for the future.

YMCA OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
The largest non-profit focused on supporting and strengthening communities with neighborhood-based services, the YMCA of Central Florida is receiving a $100,000 grant for the Links 2 Learning Program.  This out of school program focuses on high school graduation rates, successful entry and completion at post-secondary education and life-skill development.

GRAND TOTAL: $1,050,000 to Central Florida

orlando-magic-youth-foundation-distributes-over-1-million-to-17-central-florida-organizations

Orlando Magic Youth Foundation Distributes Over $1 Million to 17 Central Florida Organizations

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic have signed guard Devin Cannady, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

Cannady (6’1”, 190, 5/21/96) was signed to a 10-day contract by Orlando on March 31. He has played in four games, averaging 8.8 ppg., 2.0 apg., 1.5 rpg. and 1.25 stlpg. in 27.8 minpg., while shooting .393 (11-28) from three-point range. Before signing his 10-day contract, Cannady appeared in 16 games (11 starts) this season with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 15.8 ppg., 2.8 rpg. and 1.9 apg. in 26.5 minpg., while shooting .468 (59-126) from three-point range and .957 (22-23) from the free throw line.

Last season (2020-21), Cannady played in eight games with Orlando, averaging 4.3 ppg. in 9.3 minpg. He originally was signed to a 10-day contract by Orlando on Apr. 6, then released on Apr. 13, before signing a two-way contract on Apr. 16. Cannady suffered an open fracture of his right ankle during the first quarter on Apr. 25 vs. Indiana. He was later waived on May 4.

Prior to his time in Orlando last season, Cannady played in 13 games (nine starts) with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 11.7 ppg., 2.8 rpg. and 2.7 apg. in 25.8 minpg., while shooting .400 (28-70) from three-point range. He played and started in all three playoff outings, averaging 15.7 ppg., 4.7 rpg. and 3.3 apg. in 29.7 minpg., while shooting .450 (9-20) from three-point range. During the 2021 NBA G League Final on Mar. 11 vs. Delaware, Cannady tallied 22 points, six rebounds and four assists and was named G League Final MVP, helping Lakeland capture the 2020-21 NBA G League championship.

Cannady has played in 69 career NBA G League games (50 starts) with Long Island and Lakeland, averaging 14.2 ppg., 3.4 rpg. and 2.6 apg. in 29.0 minpg., while shooting .390 (203-520) from three-point range and .933 (84-90) from the free throw line.

Cannady played in 104 career games (67 starts) during four seasons at Princeton University (2015-19), averaging 14.6 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 1.6 apg. and 1.09 stlpg. in 31.1 minpg., while shooting .403 (268-665) from three-point range and a school-record .896 (285-318) from the free throw line. He was named Second Team All-Ivy League as a junior in 2017-18 and Honorable Mention All-Ivy League as a sophomore in 2016-17.

Cannady wears #30 with the Orlando Magic.

orlando-magic-sign-devin-cannady-2

Orlando Magic Sign Devin Cannady

That’s been a longtime motto for Orlando Magic Assistant Coach Bruce Kreutzer, who’s played and coached the game of basketball at a variety of levels over the course of the last 60-plus years. It’s a lesson that was instilled in him during his tenure at Pearl River High School in Rockland County, New York.

There, Kreutzer learned the true value of a strong work ethic as he spent several summers refining his game before eventually becoming a varsity basketball player worthy of All-Conference honors.

That approach of working day-by-day towards incremental growth is one that he’s taken with him over his hoops career and attempted to instill in all the athletes he’s coached and touched along the way.

Thus, it’s only fitting that on Saturday, April 8, Kreutzer will return to the place where his basketball journey began to be inducted into the Pearl River Sports Hall of Fame.

“It’s one of those moments where you just sit there and go ‘are you sure you want to talk to me?’ But to get that (call), it was really neat,” said Kreutzer.

While his humbleness is appreciated, the 72-year-old NBA assistant coach has amassed quite the resume fully worthy of an induction. Along with being an all-county basketball player, he was also a varsity baseball standout. Following his true passion, Kreutzer went on to play basketball collegiately at Rockland Community College – where coincidentally he’ll tip off a new series “Life After the Rock!” as a guest speaker on Friday – and then, State University of New York at New Paltz.

Eventually, Kreutzer transitioned to coaching. Among his many stops, he was head coach at Garinger High School, where he led the team to the 4A Boys North Carolina State High School Championship in 1989. Kreutzer was also post graduate head coach at Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Va., developing more than 20 Division I players during his tenure.

Kreutzer served as an assistant coach at both Queens University in Charlotte – helping them reach the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2003 – and UNC Charlotte.

From 2006-08, he was head coach of the Atlanta Vision of the ABA for two seasons, where his team won the Southern Division and made an Elite Eight appearance.

After serving as a shooting consultant for the NBA G League (2008-11) and Philadelphia 76ers (2008-10), Kreutzer joined Steve Clifford’s staff in Charlotte for three seasons (2015-18) as an assistant coach.

During that tenure, he was notably credited with assisting in the vast shooting improvement of Kemba Walker, who went on to become a perennial All-Star.

“Bruce has his way of shooting and then he’s adaptable,” Clifford previously told OrlandoMagic.com. “He watches every guy shoot. He shows them what he sees in their shot, and they come to a common place on what adjustments should be made before they ever start out on the court. So, they have a plan that they’re both comfortable with before they start. And Bruce is relentless. Bruce loves to be in the gym and when (players) walk in the gym, he’s right there waiting for them.”

When Clifford was named head coach of the Magic in 2018, he brought the shooting guru with him. After Clifford’s departure in 2021, current Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley retained Kreutzer as an assistant coach on his staff, valuing his experience and calming demeanor.

“Guys gravitate to him,” Mosley explained. “He’s done a great job with our guys. He’s that calming factor in a lot of ways. The level that experience that he’s had is really big time.”

While Kreutzer has worked with players up and down Orlando’s roster, he’s spent extensive time over the last three seasons with point guard Markelle Fultz, who’s posted the best shooting numbers of his NBA career since joining the Magic.

“I think he’s an unbelievable guy,” Fultz explained. “He just brings his flare, his touch to try to help us all with our different shooting tactics. He’s just a great guy to be around not only on the court, but off the court. He’s just a really caring, unbelievable guy. He’s been around for a little while, so he’s seen a lot. It’s always fun just to pick his brain and hear his different stories of who he’s been around, who he’s worked with. Sometimes it’s not even about the basketball, it’s about just having that free, open talk and feeling comfortable talking to somebody. Super excited for him to be inducted and get the recognition. It’s well deserved and it’s an honor.”

orlando-magic-assistant-coach-bruce-kreutzer-to-be-inducted-into-pearl-river-sports-hall-of-fame

Orlando Magic Assistant Coach Bruce Kreutzer to be Inducted Into Pearl River Sports Hall of Fame

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