The Orlando Magic were victorious in the most recent draft lottery, earning the No. 1 overall pick this year, making their fans dream about a longed-for resurgence for their team. Just like the past two seasons, there are three top candidates to get the top pick in the upcoming draft.
Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Jabari Smith look like the best candidates to be the first name called in the ceremony, but nothing is certain about who will be right now. Well, it seems like this is a two-man race after recent updates.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the real competition is between Holmgren and Jabari Smith, as Paolo Banchero will probably be the No. 2 or No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Talking with draft analyst Mike Schmitz, Woj revealed that these two players have the biggest chances to be selected by the Floridian team:
“We’ll see how this shakes out, but certainly I think Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga and Jabari Smith of Auburn… I think the consensus right now is those are really the two players competing for No. 1 with the Magic.”
This is a big decision for the franchise and it will depend on what the Magic want for their future. Last season, they picked Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner, two players who proved to be good additions. Holmgren is seen as a terrific talent, but many people aren’t sure that he’ll be great in the league.
Perhaps Smith is the best choice for the Magic, but now the competition really starts. We’re a couple of months away from the draft and everything these guys can do to impress the team will help their case. Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham are the last two No. 1 overall picks, and they are already showing great things in the league.
