The Orlando Magic had the 25th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft where guard Jase Richardson was selected out of Michigan State. Let’s take a look at the Magic best NBA draft picks in franchise history. It’s not necessarily the 10 best players ranked in order as where they were selected was taken into consideration. Only time with the team is credited which is why Victor Oladipo was the first player left off. Keep in mind that Anfernee Hardaway was acquired in a draft-day deal, and thus wasn’t drafted by the team. The franchise had only made 75 official draft picks prior to 2025, so three active players found their way on here. Time will tell if active draft picks such as Tristan da Silva or Anthony Black can eventually make it onto the list.
10 Best NBA Draft Picks In Orlando Magic History
10. JJ Redick (11th overall, 2006)
Mostly utilized as a reserve with the Magic, JJ Redick was a constant threat from behind the arc. Twice, the 6-foot-3 guard shot the three-ball with better than 40% accuracy. His scoring and playing time kept rising during his Orlando tenure until he was traded in 2013.
9. Mike Miller (5th overall, 2000)
The 2000 NBA Draft is known as one of the weaker ones, but Mike Miller did enough to win Rookie of the Year in 2000-01. His offensive game expanded from there, but he was traded during his third season. With Orlando, Miller averaged 14.1 points while connecting on 38% of his three-point tries.
8. Jalen Suggs (5th overall, 2021)
Jalen Suggs certainly has the opportunity to move up the list with a few healthy seasons. He has proven to be one of the top perimeter defenders in the league and was named to the All-Defensive second team in 2023-24. Suggs took on more of a role on offense last season prior to getting hurt, finishing with six games of at least 27 points.
7. Aaron Gordon (4th overall, 2014)
An uber-athletic power forward, Aaron Gordon spent six-plus seasons with Orlando. In his last three full seasons with the Magic, he had averages of 16.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. Gordon finished four outings with at least 38 points with the team.
6. Dennis Scott (4th overall, 1990)
Known as’3-D’, Dennis Scott was one of the game’s top long-range threats in the 1990s. He made 40.3% of his three-point tries with Orlando and led the league with 267 triples in 1995-96. Scott is the Magic’s all-time leader with 981 made three-pointers.
5. Nick Anderson (11th overall, 1989)
The franchise leader in games played is none other than Nick Anderson with 692. He twice finished just shy of 20 points per contest (19.9) and had over 15 five times. On April 23, 1993, he had a 50-point outing against the New Jersey Nets.
4. Paolo Banchero (1st overall, 2022)
An All-Star in 2023-24, Paolo Banchero also won Rookie of the Year in the previous season. He has averaged at least 20 points each season including a career-high 25.9 in 2024-25. The 6-foot-10 forward draws a boatload of fouls as evidenced by his career 7.5 free-throw attempts per contest.
3. Franz Wagner (8th overall, 2021)
Tough choice between the two active players for third, but Franz Wagner has one more year on his ledger (also wasn’t a first overall pick). He may have been in line for his first All-Star appearance last season if not for a torn oblique that sidelined him for a month and a half. He put up excellent averages of 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in 2024-25.
2. Shaquille O’Neal (1st overall, 1992)
While he played just four seasons for Orlando, Shaquille O’Neal was dominant from the get-go. The 1992-93 Rookie of the Year had MVP finishes of seventh, fourth, second, and ninth. He won a scoring title in his third year and had averages of 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks with the club.
1. Dwight Howard (1st overall, 2004)
Dwight Howard gets the slight nod over Shaq due to a much longer tenure with the team. He played eight seasons for the Magic and won three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards from 2008-09 until 2010-11. With Orlando, he led the league in rebounding four times and blocks twice.
Photo credit: © David Butler II-Imagn Images
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