The Orlando Magic were one of the big stories of the 2023 NFL Draft. The team had two Magic draft picks in the first round and took Arkansas point guard Anthony Black at No. 6 and grabbed Michigan wing Jett Howard at No. 11. And while the second pick was a questionable selection, the team didn’t get cute with their first choice, and that is why it is the best move the team made in the NBA draft.

Anthony Black is the best move of the Magic 2023 NBA Draft

The top of the 2023 NBA Draft was pretty much set in stone before the festivities kicked off on Thursday. Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, and Scoot Henderson came off the board first, as expected, and Amen and Ausar Thompson followed quickly.

Looking at most NBA mock drafts, Anthony Black was going to be the next player picked, and the Magic did exactly what everyone thought they would do.

And that was an excellent move.

NBA mock drafts are not the be-all and end-all of drafting for NBA teams. Plenty are made by people who don’t know what they are talking about. And even if the creators are sharp NBA analysts, it’s still a piece of internet content that will get more eyeballs if the creator goes a little outside the box.

The Magic have made some shrewd draft picks in recent years, both with and against the consensus of mock drafts. Look at 2022. That season, mock drafts were split on whether Orlando should take Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, or Jabari Smith Jr., with Holmgren occupying the top spot in the most mocks.

The Magic took Banchero, and the former Duke star rewarded the franchise with a Rookie of the Year performance.

In 2021, the mocks were mixed. Most had Jalen Suggs going at No. 4 over Scottie Barnes, but that flip-flopped at the draft, and it looks like the Toronto Raptors were right to take Barnes one spot ahead of the Magic’s pick. At No. 8, Franz Wagner was the consensus pick, that’s who Orlando took, and it’s worked out nicely.

This year, so many mock drafts had the same two picks for the Magic at Nos. 6 and 11. They had Anthony Black at No. 6 and Kansas sharpshooter Gradey Dick at No. 11.

The reason so many of these mock drafts had the same thing is that Orlando has some obvious needs. They need a playmaking point guard, versatile defenders, and shooting. Taking Black at No. 6 made so much sense because he delivers on those first two needs in spades.

Black is a 6-foot-7 creating point guard. Whether he is leading the break or walking the ball up and getting into pick-and-roll sets, Black is a facilitator who is always looking to get his teammates involved. And it’s not like he can’t score. Black is excellent and changing pace, getting past defenders, and going to the net. At his size, he should also be able to develop a healthy post game in the NBA.

On the defensive side of the ball, Black is the size of most NBA wings, so he can legitimately guard four positions on the floor. And as an on-ball defender, he is tenacious and athletic enough to stay in front of most players. He’s good in the team concept, too, and loves to jump passing lanes and sneak up behind ballhandlers for steals.

These skills translate well on Orlando. As a facilitator, he’ll help Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner get easier shots, and his pick-and-roll game with Banchero specifically could be deadly. He’s also able to play next to smaller scoring guards like Jalen Suggs. Black will be able to cover for Suggs on defense by taking the opposition's bigger, more physical guard, and on offense, Suggs will be able to focus more on scoring than running the offense.

Also, on the defensive side of the ball, Black gives the Magic opportunities to roll out a lineup that are almost entirely switchable. And lineups where the 6-foot-7 PG is the smallest player on the floor. That’s the stuff of nightmares for the opposition.

The shooting is an issue for Black. He’s not an outside threat and isn’t the greatest shooter overall. He did put up a decent free throw percentage in his one year at Arkansas (70.5%), so maybe that hints at better shooting to come.

Either way, each Magic draft pick can only do so much, and Black fills a lot of holes for Orlando. Everyone could see that, and the Magic did the right thing, not trying to reinvent the wheel or outsmart everybody. They just took the right guy for their team, and with Anthony Black on the roster next season, they should be better than in 2022-23.

Now, the Jett Howard vs. Gradey Dick debate is a whole different story, but at least the Magic nailed their first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.