The Orlando Magic are one of the younger teams in the NBA. The team has been consistent with their draft picks over the past few seasons. Players such as Anthony Black, Tristan da Silva and Jase Richardson have proven their worth in the rotation. Black, especially, is in the midst of a breakout campaign. Now, the Magic have the opportunity to add another young player with potential using their upcoming second-round draft pick.
Bleacher Report released their updated two-round mock draft following the All-Star break. In their projection, Orlando holds the No. 47 selection and selects NC State guard Paul McNeil. The 19-year-old's pro comparison is Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Isaiah Joe, who has been one of the more dependable three-point shooters over the last four or so seasons.
"Paul McNeil likely had every scouting department reviewing his 47-point game, even if it was against Texas Southern," the article wrote. "He followed his 10 three-point performance with six more threes against Ole Miss. He's been hot and quiet since while being reliant on being set up and deep shooting. Teams will view McNeil as a specialist shotmaker from the 2-guard position."
McNeil is helping lead the Wolfpack to a strong season thus far. NC State sits outside the AP Top 25 rankings with a 19-8 record but are heavily predicted to be a threat in the upcoming NCAA tournament. The guard is averaging 13.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and an impressive 43.7 percent from three-point range. McNeil was viewed as a four-star recruit in the class of 2024 ESPN recruitment rankings.
The Magic have long looked for perimeter shooting help. In 2024, they signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a big contract. However, he quickly regressed and the team decided to go all in by making a blockbuster deal for Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane in the 2025 offseason. The three-point shooting has arguably stayed the same since last season, which can be considered disappointing given how much capital the Magic dealt for Bane. However, bringing in a shooter like McNeil could work wonders for this Magic unit. Although he would be a second-round draft pick, he could be an immediate addition to the rotation given the team's desperate need for shooting.
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