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By Anne Erickson
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Every team has one player who holds the keys to a season but doesn't always get the spotlight.
For the Orlando Magic, it's Anthony Black.
That's saying something on a roster built around stars like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Those two are going to get their numbers. They're the foundation. Black is the player who can raise Orlando's ceiling.
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His sophomore leap made that much clear. After entering the league as a defense-first guard, Black blossomed into a legitimate offensive threat, averaging 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. The confidence was obvious. So was the patience. He stopped looking like a young player trying not to make mistakes and started playing like someone who expected to make winning plays.
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New head coach Sean Sweeney inherits one of the league's most talented young cores, but the Magic still have questions in the halfcourt. That's where Black becomes the x-factor. If he continues to create off the dribble, knock down open shots and keep defenses real, Orlando's offense suddenly has a different rhythm. The floor opens up for Banchero and Wagner, and the entire attack becomes tougher to defend.
His development also gives the Magic something every contender needs: stability when the stars sit. Black has shown he can run an offense without forcing the action, and that's a luxury not every playoff team enjoys.
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Orlando didn't make a splash on draft night, either, waiting until the second round to select USF big man Izaiyah Nelson with the No. 51 overall pick. Nelson brings intriguing defensive tools after averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.6 steals last season, though he'll need to carve out a role as an undersized, non-shooting big.
That's a long-term project. Black isn't.
If Orlando is going to take the next step from playoff team to legitimate contender, don't be surprised if the biggest reason isn't a blockbuster addition. It might just be Black blossoming before this league's eyes.
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