Orlando should be content with everything they witnessed from their rookies in their NBA debut in Summer League, especially first-round pick Jase Richardson. While Orlando fell by the score of 84-81 to the Sacramento Kings, there was a lot of positives to take from the outing for the Magic.
Orlando Magic Rookies Make NBA Debut In Summer League
Although Bronny James and Cooper Flagg received the national attention on Thursday evening, Magic fans were elated to see new acquisitions Jase Richardson and Noah Penda hit the court for their first competition in blue and white jerseys. On their second possession against the Sacramento Kings, Richardson took advantage of a screen and drained a step-back three, a welcome site for a team loitering at the bottom of the league in perimeter scoring. The Kings’ shiny new seven-footer Maxime Reynaud – a draft prospect the Magic were checking out before securing Penda 32nd overall – was keen to demonstrate his own skills from the start, leading his team on a 14-2 run to close the first quarter.
The Magic, with Tristan Da Silva and Ethan Thompson running the offense, found a rhythm in the second quarter. Da Silva was efficient, scoring 19 points to go with 7 rebounds and 5 assists in 28 minutes. Thompson finished with 16 points, going 3-6 from beyond the arc and making all five of his free throws. Despite disrupting the Magic by forcing them into tough, contested two-pointers and going on a 13-0 tear, Sacramento’s lead was down to nine at halftime.
Magic Make Comeback in Second Half
Skal Labissiere – a former Kings player – flashed some moves with two blocks and 14 points, including a posterizing slam. Richardson, who was nursing a sore ankle prior to the game, tweaked his injury and headed to the locker room briefly, but returned shortly after. Orlando finished the third quarter with a run of their own, scoring eight straight heading into the fourth down five points.
With Richardson and Da Silva at the helm, Orlando came roaring back in the final minutes. Richardson capped off their 12-0 run with his pass to Da Silva for a corner three, followed by a contested finish at the rim. Unfortunately, the young players ran out of gas. Tied with 90 seconds to play, Nique Clifford put the nail in the coffin with back-to-back buckets for the Kings. The final score was 84-81.
Jase Richardson Plays With Tenacity and Confidence
Orlando was upbeat and should be optimistic with what they watched. Noah Penda, despite going 0-3 beyond the arc and scoring only eight points for the night, demonstrated that his size will be an issue for opponents. Da Silva looked every bit as mature as expected, and the rookies will benefit from his guidance in Vegas. Jase showed grit, suiting up regardless of his sore ankle and returning to play after aggravating it.
“I think at the end, we looked really promising,” said Richardson after the game. “We started getting more comfortable as a team.” The rookie fully prepared for a physical assault, admitting that players with more height and wingspan are going to try to capitalize on their size advantage. “A lot of body checks, a lot of bumps. Guys try to go at me.” When asked about his ankle, he remarked that he felt fine and was happy with his performance.
Everyone Is Hyped For The Upcoming Season
Those wearing jerseys on Thursday were not the only ones enjoying the competition. Jalen Suggs joined the broadcast, excited about his new opportunity to play alongside Desmond Bane. He also beamed about being “locked in” with their young core, referencing Paolo Banchero’s extension that was inked last week.
When the camera briefly panned under the basket early in the game, fans caught their first glimpse of what may be the real chemistry behind Orlando’s Magic Potion this year. Head Coach Jamahl Mosley sat beside assistant coach God Shammgod, the legendary ball-handling maestro he poached from the Mavericks this summer. Shammgod arrived to mentor the young team, a position he refined working with Kyrie Iriving, Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.
The Magic play the Toronto Raptors next on July 13 at 6pm EST.
Photo credit: © David Banks-Imagn Images
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