ORLANDO, Fla. — Can you feel it?
There’s something electric in the air in Central Florida — and, no, it’s not another afternoon thunderstorm. It’s the buzz. The hum. The excitement. The sheer anticipation of an Orlando Magic season that feels, finally, real.
For more than a decade, hardcore Magic fans have been the quiet constant, believing in the process long after the rest of the league stopped paying attention. Now, though, the rest of the league is looking over its shoulder.
Since Dwight Howard’s departure more than a dozen years ago, the franchise has rebuilt, retooled, reimagined and reinvented itself so many times it’s hard to keep track. But this year, it feels different.
After years of development, patience and an endless array of “next years,” the Orlando Magic are not just ready to compete. They’re one of the trendy picks to make noise in a wide-open Eastern Conference. With Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton both sidelined with ruptured Achilles tendons, the door has swung open. And guess who’s standing there, ready to walk through it?
Your Orlando Magic.
This isn’t hype for hype’s sake. This isn’t wishful thinking. This is the real thing — a young, homegrown, cohesive, confident team led by two young stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, a coach in Jamahl Mosley who preaches grit and growth, and a front office that has been patient enough to build it the right way.
So here’s the message, Magic fans: in this fast-paced, TikTok, hot-take, transfer-portal world that we live in, let’s just pause. Take a deep breath. Look around. And enjoy this Magic carpet ride we’re about to embark on.
Because the long and winding road seems to finally have a destination.
When the Magic drafted Banchero No. 1 overall in 2022, it wasn’t the “consensus” pick. It wasn’t the “safe” pick. But it was the right pick.
“Orlando took a chance on me when they drafted me, and I am forever grateful for that,” Banchero said at the time. “They put their trust in me to take that chance and take me No. 1. After that, I felt like it was my job to help them reach heights that haven’t been reached in a long time.”
And now, at just 22 years old — with a Rookie of the Year award, an All-Star appearance and a max extension in his pocket — he feels it’s time to start repaying the Magic in wins and playoff success.
From 22 wins in Mosley’s first season to 34 the next to a leap to 47 before injuries derailed the momentum last season — this team’s growth has been organic and steady. No shortcuts. No panic trades. No superstars forcing their way out.
Just work. Sweat. Faith.
Magic president Jeff Weltman summed it up best: “This team is growing up and the beauty of it is that the fans have been through this journey and growing process with us. The message we want to send out is we’re ready to turn the page on the rebuild. This is about winning now. Hopefully, we’re about to go on a fun ride.”
Banchero. Wagner. Jalen Suggs. And now, Desmond Bane. Four young stars. All under contract for the foreseeable future. All have bought into Orlando’s vision.
This isn’t a collection of mercenaries on short-term deals. This isn’t a “let’s see if this works for a year” experiment. This is your team, Orlando — built mostly through the draft and built with patience and purpose. In a transfer-portal world where loyalty is rare and commitment is fleeting, the Magic have assembled something that feels rooted.
Of course, with higher expectations comes higher scrutiny and accountability. Mosley knows this. He knows that when fans start caring more; they start judging more. And he welcomes it.
“Pressure is a privilege,” Mosley likes to say.
And this season, the Magic finally have some.
For the first time in a long time, pressure is something to embrace, not fear.
“This is the first time since I got here where it feels serious in terms of expectations,” Banchero said. “I love that because now it’s time to win. When the expectation and standard is to win, that’s what brings the best out of people.”
Weltman has preached patience from the start. He’s built a roster brick by brick, never panicking, never rushing the timeline. But now, with the DeVos family investing heavily in this roster and the team giving up four first-round picks to acquire Bane, the organization has officially shifted into win-now mode.
“I was talking with my agent before everything went down after last season,” Bane said after the trade. “If there was ever a chance I’d get traded, where are the spots you want to go? And I mean, I promise you, Orlando was right at the top of the list. So it’s a perfect fit.”
Read that again.
Players actually want to come to Orlando.
When was the last time you could say that?
So here we are getting ready for the most highly anticipated season in more than a decade.
The Orlando Magic aren’t playing for tomorrow any longer. They’re playing for today.
And maybe, just maybe, this is the start of something special.
So Magic fans, this is your reminder: don’t miss the beauty of this moment.
The Orlando Magic are young, hungry, homegrown and finally — FINALLY — ready for prime time.
This isn’t just a season. It’s a statement.
The Magic carpet is waiting.
Let’s ride.
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