NBA Mock Draft 9.0: What if Blazers win the No. 1 pick; Rockets take big risk at No. 4

NBA Draft prospect Keyonte George (Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports)
NBA Draft prospect Keyonte George (Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA Draft
NBA Draft prospect Cam Whitmore (Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports)

11. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls) – Cam Whitmore, F, Villanova

Heading into the 2023 NBA Draft, Cam Whitmore is one of the more intriguing and polarizing wing prospects. You can make the case that he has the talent and long-term ceiling to be one of the best players to emerge from this year’s NBA Draft. At the same time, there are others that aren’t so high on his potential. Whitmore has great size, is athletic, and proved enough during his freshman season at Villanova that should have teams excited about his potential.

If he can continue to prove that he can be more than just a streaky shooter, Whitmore will have the shot to develop into a star at the next level. The big question is whether Orlando is the right landing spot for Whitmore. And I’d say yes, especially considering how they’ve developed young players recently.

I think it’s time to change the narrative surrounding the Magic. And considering they’ll be adding two more lottery picks to their already talented roster, this is a team that could be on the verge of something special. If they continue to take the right steps forward, the Magic are a team worth monitoring in the Eastern Conference.