Soon two should be back in the starting lineup for the Orlando Magic.
When the Orlando Magic (16-9) play the Miami Heat (15-12) at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, they could have both of their Duke basketball products available for the first time since early November.
Paolo Banchero, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year and a one-and-done forward for Duke basketball who was selected No. 1 overall by the Magic in 2022, has proven to be exceptionally resilient as a young superstar for the Orlando team, age 21. He’s averaged 21.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.4 steals, and 1.0 assists in all 25 games that he’s played.
Wendell Carter Jr., a 24-year-old big man for the Magic who was a one-year standout for the Blue Devils, has missed the last 20 games due to his left hand’s fractured third metacarpal bone.
Carter is no longer listed on Orlando’s injury report. Carter had his name called at No. 7 overall by the Chicago Bulls at the 2018 NBA Draft and is currently in his fourth season as a full-time starter for the Magic (when healthy).
It’s encouraging. Jamahl Mosley, the head coach, says there’s no assurance he’ll play a big role against the Heat.
“He was able to go through a little bit more practice, little bit of contact, just being able to see what he felt, you know, through some of the drills defensively and offensively,” Mosley said to the reporters on Tuesday, as reported by Jeremy Brener of The Magic Insider. “We’re going to just see how he feels tomorrow.”
Throughout his professional career, Wendell Carter Jr. had scored ten or more points before the current season. However, he’s only averaging 9.4 points in his five games this round.
After going 34-48 in the previous campaign and missing the NBA Playoffs for the third consecutive year, the Magic are currently ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference.
