There is still a month to go before the NBA Draft, but the Orlando Magic may already have their man.
John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic reported on Monday that the Magic are leaning towards taking ex-Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren with the No. 1 overall pick. The report notes that Orlando has a well-established track record of drafting players with length.
The seven-footer Holmgren, who was mentioned as one of two prospects in contention for the top pick, could immediately anchor Orlando’s frontcourt. Mo Bamba is a restricted free agent, Moritz Wagner is on a non-guaranteed contract for next season, Jonathan Isaac’s return from injury remains a question mark, and Wendell Carter is bit undersized at 6-foot-10.
Holmgren still has several aspects of his game that need work, specifically bulking up and defending without fouling. But he has been improving his public image in recent days, and now appears to be the frontrunner to go No. 1 overall too.
