Jeff Weltman had a point to make.
The level wasn’t defending the Magic’s selecting of Paolo Banchero at No. 1 in final Thursday’s NBA draft.
That wasn’t needed. Banchero entered the draft considered as a top-three prospect. Most well-respected media mock draft boards had him being drafted at No. 3 by the Houston Rockets, who wound up with Jabari Smith Jr. — the prospect most mock drafts had going No. 1.
Instead, the purpose the Magic’s president of basketball operations was making an attempt to clarify was that they’d the requisite data to really feel greater than snug drafting Banchero regardless of him not coming to Orlando for a pre-draft exercise.
“I know there’s a lot being made right now that Paolo didn’t come in to visit,” Weltman mentioned to reporters in his opening feedback Thursday. “I want to let everybody know we’ve had several touch points. There’s a lot of strategy that goes into the draft. There’s a lot of secret-keeping and misdirection.”
Part of that misdirection was the Magic not commenting on whether or not they had a pre-draft go to with Banchero main as much as the draft. Orlando’s secrecy throughout the draft course of might result in long-term advantages.
The Magic’s basketball operations might not have gotten a proper go to in Orlando with Banchero, however they didn’t lack intel.
They had 39 school basketball video games Banchero performed in for Duke to scout. It doesn’t take lengthy to see why he was a consensus second-team All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year.
There had been a number of reside and Zoom conferences with Banchero and fixed dialogue along with his agent Mike Miller, the previous NBA participant the Magic drafted with the No. 5 select of the University of Florida in 2000.
Weltman instructed the Orlando Sentinel that the Magic hung out with Banchero throughout the NBA’s mid-May draft mix in Chicago.
Paolo submitted to all the Magic’s pre-draft protocols, together with medicals, character profiles and the rest Orlando wanted, in line with Weltman.
“We’ve seen Paolo so many times,” Weltman instructed the Orlando Sentinel. “We’ve had so many touch points with him. We got to spend a lot of time with him in different facets. We got all of the data points we asked him to provide for us. We had everything we needed to feel we’re making a well-rounded decision.”
The Magic didn’t lock themselves in on Banchero early, in line with Weltman.
They labored out a number of prospects main into the draft, together with Chet Holmgren, Keegan Murray, Jaden Ivey and Smith. Orlando finally drafted whom Weltman known as “the best player in college basketball.”
It’s commonplace for Orlando to not host a future draft choose for a pre-draft exercise. Jalen Suggs, the No. 5 choose within the 2021 draft, didn’t work out for the Magic final summer time.
Why Banchero didn’t work out for the Magic in Orlando is probably not identified by outsiders, however what was additionally identified by Weltman was that Banchero wished to be part of what they’re constructing with coach Jamahl Mosley.
“Paolo’s always expressed a great interest in us and he’s talked with us at length — myself, coach Mosley and various staff members,” Weltman mentioned. “We were super comfortable with the process, and most importantly, thrilled to have him on the team.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com