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In a strategic move aimed at revitalizing their 5v5 campaign, Magic Gaming has acquired shooting guard Emmanuel “FantaSZN” Gosman from Mavs Gaming. This decision comes on the heels of a historic run in the 2024 NBA 2K League 3v3 action, where Magic Gaming sought to carry their momentum into the 5v5 season.
Entering the TIPOFF tournament with high hopes, Magic Gaming led in the fourth quarter of five out of their six contests. However, they secured only two victories and failed to advance to bracket play. In a bid to improve their performance and flip the script heading into THE TURN, Magic Gaming traded Darjean “ReturnOfDJ” Henderson to Mavs Gaming in exchange for FantaSZN.
Magic Gaming's Strategic Acquisition Of FantaSZN From Mavs Gaming
“We saw an opportunity to bring in a player who is hungry and has a lot to prove, coming from a structured environment with a strong defensive identity—qualities we felt we were missing,” said Magic Gaming GM and head coach Jonah Edwards. “In an attempt to improve as we position ourselves through the end of the season, we saw Fanta as a guy that could potentially move us over the hurdle. In the TIPOFF tournament, we were winning with three minutes or less in five of our six games. We were right there. Bringing in a guy that we feel is an improvement can absolutely catapult us into a better position.”
🚨 Trade Announcement 🚨
The following 4 team trade just went down 🤯 pic.twitter.com/zHXVh9cmPC
— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) May 28, 2024
FantaSZN's performance in Dallas through six 5v5 games has been impressive, averaging 15.3 points with shooting percentages of 50.8 percent from the floor and 48.1 percent from beyond the arc. His playmaking ability, averaging 8.0 assists per game, is a much-needed addition for Orlando, which has been seeking additional offensive creation outside of All-Star point guard Joshua “unguardable” Hunter.
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“Fanta is a great playmaker from the shooting guard position. He is able to create for others, which we certainly were lacking. We had a lot of stagnation to our offense and a lot of overreliance on Josh. I hope this brings Josh that relief with Fanta coming in, and maybe he can make plays and turn the tides of games that we haven’t been able to,” Edwards explained. “I'm really looking forward to pairing him with Josh as a backcourt duo in a way that will provide Josh with his own opportunities.”
FantaSZN's Rapid Integration Into Magic Gaming's Schedule
FantaSZN faces a challenging schedule as he integrates with his new team, starting with three TURN group play contests in the NBA 2K League this week. The first matchup is against Celtics Crossover Gaming on Wednesday at 7 PM ET.
“We still have optimism in our room that we can do this,” said Edwards. “I've been telling the guys every day that the most important thing is that we believe that we can actually win. That’s where we are at this very moment. I hope this trend continues in the coming weeks, and we turn around at the end of the first week of THE TURN and we’re 3-0, and we’re in a position where we can make it to bracket play and control our own destiny. That would be phenomenal. That’s the goal right now.”
Following their game against Celtics Crossover Gaming, Magic Gaming will face Raptors Uprising GC on Friday. They will conclude the week with their second in-person matchup in Orlando this season, hosting Hawks Talon GC on Saturday at 2 PM ET at leAD Lake Nona, located at 7004 Tavistock Lakes Blvd. Admission is free, and fans arriving at 12:30 PM ET will have the opportunity to participate in an open play session and a special meet and greet.
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