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The Orlando Magic have held the first overall pick four times over their relatively short existence. They've hit the mark with those picks, drafting Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Webber, Dwight Howard, and Paolo Banchero. They haven't had as much success when not selecting at the top of the draft, though. So, check out the gallery to see the worst NBA Draft day mistakes in Magic history.
10. Chris Webber – 1993
O'Neal and Howard became two of the greatest centers in NBA history after Orlando took them first overall, and they remain the best players in Magic franchise history. Banchero has quickly become one of the best players in the NBA since being drafted number one in 2022. Chris Webber was the team's other first-overall pick, and although he had a successful career, it didn't come in Orlando. Instead, the Magic traded his draft rights to the Golden State Warriors on draft night in 1993 for Penny Hardaway – who was the third overall pick that year – and three future first rounders.
Initially, this seemed like a solid deal. Hardaway is one of the most iconic players in Magic history, and the era in which he formed a duo with O'Neal was arguably the peak of the organization's existence. Hardaway was a tall point guard with a flashy set of moves, and he helped lead the Magic to an NBA Finals appearance. However, his prime was short, and the future draft capital didn't amount to much besides cap relief and even more trades involving draft capital down the road.
Injuries derailed Hardaway's career and turned him into one of the biggest what-ifs in league history. He made four All-Star games, but he really only had four healthy seasons with the Magic. Webber, meanwhile, was scoring close to 20 points per game in 13 straight seasons. This trade can be viewed as a draft day mistake for the Magic because Webber had the superior career to Hardaway, but the Warriors actually got the shortest end of the stick. They had to trade Webber just a year later, although they did recoup some much-needed draft capital.
9. Andrew Nicholson – 2012
Draymond Green famously said that Andrew Nicholson was the player drafted before him that most upset him. He justified this by saying that Nicholson didn't even look like a basketball player. While physical looks can be deceiving, Nicholson certainly didn't look like an NBA-caliber player during his time with the Magic. Nicholson never scored over 600 points in a season and got worse each year that he was in the league.
8. Jett Howard – 2023
Jett Howard was drafted just two years ago, so he has plenty of time to improve and get off of this list. The shooting guard from Michigan has looked like a massive bust so far, though. While fellow 2023 draftee Anthony Black has established himself as a key role player during his first two seasons, Howard has been glued to the bench.
This is a bad look because Howard's alleged best skill set is shooting, and that is something the Magic struggle with as a team. Despite that, he still hasn't been able to earn rotation minutes. After the Desmond Bane trade, earning minutes may become even harder for the former 11th-overall pick going forward.
7. Victor Oladipo – 2013
Victor Oladipo was a talented player whose career was derailed by injuries. Lower body problems didn't plaque him until after his stint with the Magic, though. Orlando drafted him second overall in 2013, and he played 80, 72, and 72 games in his three seasons with the team.
The reason Oladipo is one of the worst draft mistakes in Magic history was not because of injuries but because his time in Orlando was so short despite being a premier draft selection. Oladipo was traded after three seasons, along with Domantas Sabonis, for Serge Ibaka. That trade ended up being a horrible decision in its own right.
The Magic can't be blamed too much for drafting Oladipo. The 2013 NBA Draft was one of the worst draft classes ever, and Oladipo still had some really great years. Teams just need more out of a number two pick than what the Magic got out of Oladipo.
6. Daniel Orton – 2010
Daniel Orton's Magic tenure was practically stopped before it ever had a chance to get going. The Kentucky center was drafted 29th overall in 2010, and the plan was to have him develop in the D-League early on his career. He suffered a season-ending knee injury during just his second game, though, which delayed his NBA debut until 2012. Orton would play just 16 games for the Magic before Orlando gave up on him.
5. Johnny Taylor – 1997
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Johnny Taylor played in just 12 games for the Magic after being drafted 17th overall before he packed his bags up to play for the Denver Nuggets. Taylor returned for a second stint two seasons latter, but this tenure was even shorter. After five games in Orlando, the second go around, Taylor was out of the league. Taylor has still provided some value for the Magic, though, as he has been on the coaching staff of the Magic's G-League affiliate since 2017.
4. Mo Bamba – 2018
The Mo Bamba hype train was at an all-time high when he was coming out of Texas in 2018, largely because of the popular song that shares a namesake with the center. Bamba was drafted sixth overall because of his intriguing skill set on the hardwood, though, but he never lived up to the hype. Bamba could block shots and shoot 3-pointers and had a 7-foot-10 wingspan. Injuries and weight fluctuations prevented Bamba from ever playing a key role in Orlando, though.
3. Reece Gaines – 2003
The 2003 NBA Draft is known as one of the best draft classes ever, especially towards the top. LeBron James went first overall, for example, and Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade went a few picks later. Not all of the picks in the top half of the first round were hits, though. Reece Gaines was drafted 15th overall, and he scored just 1.8 points per game in 38 games before being traded.
2. Mario Hezonja – 2015
Mario Hezonja weirdly had some legendary highlights. Notably, he had a game-winning block on James that sealed an epic comeback win for the New York Knicks. He also had a poster dunk over Giannis Antetokounmpo, where he stared down the two-time MVP after he fell to the floor.
However, the vast majority of Hezonja's career was disappointing, and he is considered one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory. Hezonja averaged just 6.9 points per game over the course of his career, and the memorable highlights were too few and far between. Both of the aforementioned highlights occurred when Hezonja left the Magic and was on the New York Knicks, too.
1. Fran Vazquez – 2005
A year after drafting Howard first overall, the Magic selected a big man to pair with him. The team took Fran Vazquez 11th overall, but Vasquez never came stateside. Vasquez shocked the Magic by staying in Spain. His draft rights were finally renounced in 2024. Vasquez had a spectacular basketball career which included a EuroLeague championship, a FIBA Champions League championship, three Liga ACB championships, four Spanish Cup championships, and three Spanish Super Cup championships. Obviously, none of that helped the Magic out in any way.
