Reviewing Every Orlando Magic Player Through First Quarter of 2025-26 Season

Reviewing Every Orlando Magic Player Through First Quarter of 2025-26 Season

Here’s a review of each Atlanta Magic player through the first quarter of the 202526 season. Paulo Benro has been rehabbing a left groin injury he suffered in a game in New York on November 12th. His main strength areas before the injury were his foul drawing, finishing in transition, and spray out passing. Among qualified players, Paulo ranks fourth in shooting fouls drawn per 100 possessions, third in field goal percentage in transition, and his Magic teammates have made 50% of their three-point attempts when he has kicked the ball out to them, which is the fourth best mark among the 100 players who have kicked the ball out for at least 25 threes. His main area for improvement is his three-point shooting. He’s currently at 25%. But he is shooting 61.9% within 10 feet of the basket. Last year, his mark on shots from this range was 57% and the year before it was 54%. He’s rebounding better than ever as well, averaging a career-high 8.7 boards. That’s helping him grab and go to get out in transition. Desmond Bane. Since November 7th, a 13-game span, Bane is averaging 22.5 points and a team best 5.2 2 assists per contest. He recently scored 37 in back-to-back games, making him the fourth Magic player ever with consecutive 35 plus point performances and the first since Tracy McGrady in 2004. His main strength areas have been his finishing on drives, his free throw shooting, and his ball protection. Largely because opponents are crowding him around the three-point line. He’s been in attack mode navigating downhill all season. Currently, he’s taken the 17th most shots on drives, making 53.6% of them. He’s averaging a career best 7.8 shots on drives per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, among the 99 players who have attempted at least 50 free throws, Bane has the third best percentage at the stripe at 93.4%. And then he’s one of only 15 players who has played 500 plus minutes, averaging at least 4.5 assists and less than 2.5 turnovers. His three-point shooting has been a little bit inconsistent, but he’s made a few big ones already this season, including a game-winning buzzer beater against Portland on November 10th. Goa Betaz Goa’s main strengths have been his rim protection and lob finishing. Opponents are shooting just 47.6% in the restricted area with Betaz contesting. That’s the seventh best mark among the 56 players who have contested at least 50 shots from that short distance. Go leads the Magic in blocks with 26 of them. And then he’s made 13 shots off lobs, tied for 12th most in the league. Overall, he’s shooting a career best 71% from the field. He’s one of only six players shooting 70 plus% with 50 plus shot attempts. Anthony Black. Over the last seven games, AB is averaging 18.1 points on 50% overall shooting from the field and 40.7% shooting from three-point range. He had a career-high 31 points in the Magic’s NBA Cup win over the 76ers on November 25th. Scoring in transition, his touch and power finishing around the basket and his defensive pressure have been his primary strengths. He’s currently shooting 62% in transition, 77.3% within 3 ft of the basket, and he has 21 dunks, which among guards is tied for second most. He’s number one among guards in lob finishes. He’s even mixing in some postups now where he can use his size against smaller defenders. On defense, he’s top 15 in the league in deflections and steals. Among guards, he’s top 10 in blocks. He’s had two clutch ones recently on three-point attempts. Here on Duncan Robinson on the final play of the win in Detroit on November 28th and here on Josh Giddy late in the win over Chicago on December 1st. He’s defended the most shots on drives with opponents driving by him just 16% of the time. Areas for improvement are his pull-up jump shooting, free throw shooting, and being a little crisper with his passing. Wendell Carter Jr. Carter is currently one of only three centers shooting 50 plus% from the field, 40 plus% from three-point range, and 80 plus% from the free throw line. Nicole Joic and Khalil Wear are the others. He has the best three-point percentage among qualified centers at 45.5%. This is incredible improvement considering last year he shot 23.4% from downtown. On defense, opponents are shooting just 43.2% 2% in the paint with Carter contesting among the 20 players who have contested at least 125 shots in the paint. That mark ranks number one. He’s also top 15 in total offensive rebounds. Tristan Dilva. Tristan has been one of the league’s best relocation and on the move outside shooters this season. On those three-point attempts, he’s shooting a remarkable 55.2%. That’s the fourth highest mark among the 113 players with at least 20 of these types of three-point tries. [Music] In transition, he’s made 47.4% of his threes. He’s been crafty with the ball in his hands as well. His stand still three-point shooting is where he could be better. He’s only shooting 31.8% on those attempts. Jet Howard. Howard had a breakout performance on November 23rd in Boston where he erupted for a career best 30 points. Among players who have appeared in more than 10 games but have logged fewer than 160 minutes of action, Howard has the league’s highest points per 100 possession average. [Music] Jonathan Isaac. Although he has struggled with his three-point shooting, Isaac has made 75% of the shots he’s taken in the paint, with many coming off putbacks, although that’s only off 20 attempts total. That is the seventh best mark among the 312 players who have taken at least 20 paint shots so far this season. His rebounding has been very good as well. Among those who have appeared in at least 10 games and have logged fewer than 200 minutes, he’s one of 12 averaging over three rebounds per contest. Then of course his defense is always his bread and butter. His defensive rating is a team best 105.1. Taius Jones. Taius is one of only three players with over 30 assists, over 10 steals, and fewer than 10 turnovers. Among all qualified point guards so far this season, he has the fewest turnovers with just seven of them. Since October 27th, he has only three of them. He again has a chance to lead the league in assist to turnover ratio, something he’s accomplished six times before. Although he hasn’t taken many three-pointers, he’s only shooting 21.9% from downtown, the last two seasons, he was an over 40% three-point shooter. Noah Penda. Penda was impressive in the game on November 23rd at Boston where he helped the Magic rally back from 26 down before coming up short. He made five of his six floor shots, including going two for two from three-point range and finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He has excellent instincts and vision at his size, which makes him a very good playmaker. It’s his defense, though, that really stands out. He can switch on to ball handlers on the perimeter and stay in front of them. So far, he’s been a better outside shooter than advertised. He’s made six of his nine three-point attempts. Jace Richardson. Fellow rookie Jace was also impressive in the Boston game, recording 18 points on seven of 11 overall shooting from the floor and three of four from three-point range. Let’s not forget that he was Orlando’s best three-point shooter in the preseason. He’s five of 11 from downtown in the regular season thus far, obviously in limited minutes. The other thing about him is that despite being only 6’1, 180 lbs or so, he’s very good absorbing contact around the basket, I think he could be a guy that gets to the free throw line quite a bit, which is something the Magic are excelling at as a team. [Music] Jaylen Suggs. When Suggs is on the floor this season, the Magic’s defensive rating is 105.2. When he’s off the court, the Magic’s defensive rating is a team worst 115.0. Aside from the energy and intensity he brings, he has incredible instincts when it comes to getting his hands in the passing lanes and breaking up plays. He’s averaging 3.8 deflections per contest, which is a top 10 mark. He’s a big reason why the Magic have been able to get out and run so much with his ball pressure causing many live ball turnovers. [Music] Offensively, like many of his teammates, he’s been extremely good finishing around the basket. Within four feet, he’s shooting 87% on 23 attempts, the fifth best mark among the 238 players who have taken at least 20 shots from this short distance. He’s also shooting 91.7% from the free throw line, making two clutch ones in the NBA Cup win in Detroit on November 28th. He makes great passes in transition, which helped him dish out a career best 11 assists and only 16 minutes of action in the win in Philadelphia on November 25th. Cutting down on turnovers will be key for him the rest of the season. [Music] Fron Vagner. Fron was already a fantastic player, of course, but I think now with the Magic pushing the pace more after getting stops, he’s a more electric player. He ranks fourth in transition field goal percentage and fourth in times drawing a shooting foul in transition. In general, he’s drawn the ninth most shooting fouls and is averaging a career best 7.2 free throw attempts. Always impressive is his footwork and touch on drives. There’s an argument to be made that he’s the best driver at 6’10 or taller in league history. He is shooting it a little bit better from three-point range after back-to-back seasons under 30%. Although that has tailed off a bit lately. Fron’s defense has been outstanding. Maybe the most impressive stat is that opponents are shooting just 35.9% on drives defended by Fron. That mark ranks fourth out of the 73 players who have defended at least 50 shots on drives. So that will wrap up this video. If you like this kind of content, please subscribe.

This video reviews each Orlando Magic player through the first quarter of the 2025-26 season.

Twitter/X – @Josh_Cohen_NBA

Video footage courtesy of NBAE
Stats from mix of Second Spectrum and Stathead

Thumbnail Image Credit: Tony Huynh/Orlando Magic

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