Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. has been an iron man for his team this season. That has not always been the case.
With his team amid a three-game winning streak, Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. took time after Tuesday’s practice to discuss a myriad of topics with the media, one of which was his health.
Carter— who has been a beacon of availability for the Magic among several injuries to the roster this season — was a game time decision before Monday’s contest against the Milwaukee Bucks. Carter ended up playing 24 minutes and adding four points, eight rebounds and two steals in Orlando’s 118-99 win.
“I am just trying to give this team everything I got,” Carter said after Tuesday’s practice. I've been struggling a little bit offensively, but I've been just trying to find ways to affect the game, control what I can control, be a good defender, being able to switch one to five, doing a lot of that these last couple games.
So, just being able to give this team what I got, and I know that I can bring every night. That's my effort.”
Carter has appeared in 50 of the Magic’s 52 games this season and has averaged 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game. In his eighth NBA season, Carter is on pace to play the most games of his career. The last five games have been a struggle for him on the offensive end, but he trusts that he will return to form.
“Offense is going to come back around,” Carter said. “I'm not too worried about it. But you know, like you said, I had a little left ankle soreness. These are the most games I played. I'm going into All-Star break. So, that's probably one of the reasons for that.”
Carter appeared in 68 games last season, which remains his career high. Before the 2024-25 campaign, he appeared in 60-plus games just once. While playing in most of the team’s games has had its ups and downs, Carter is enjoying the process.
“That was always one of my biggest flaws before signing my first extension. That was always the conversation being had that ‘is he able to be available for most of the season.’ So, you know, I've taken the necessary steps in terms of taking care of my body, mind and soul just to be prepared for this moment. Understanding that it's not going to be perfect games.
You know, I'm gonna be beat up and be tired, whatever the case may be. But like you said, this is my first time ever being in this position. So, it's different, but I'm loving it.”
In recent years, player availability has been taken more seriously. In the 2023-24 season, the NBA instituted a 65-game minimum for players to earn major end-of-season awards, and while Carter has not been in the mix for them, he has looked around the league at different players who have been more available than him, which is a point of emphasis he has reflected on.
“[Expletive], I'm just looking at it like, I'm looking across the league; guys are playing some, you know, 65-plus games a year,” he said. “And, you know, I'm stuck at around 50 to 40. And you don't really get a good comfortable feel for the kind of player that you are not being able to play most of the season.”
Above all, Carter just wants to be there for his team.
“I just like to be available for my team, no matter what it is. If it's both ends of the court; just being available. That's... I think that's the biggest thing.”