Orlando Magic's Undeniable X-Factor Next Season

After three straight years of being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, the Orlando Magic have a lot to prove. They are set to face some obstacles along the way, including a make-or-break year for their star Paolo Banchero.

Sweeney, a rookie head coach, has showcased extreme poise and leadership abilities, especially on the defensive side of the court.

Therefore, Orlando’s best players, especially Paolo Banchero, are under pressure to meet the expectations for the Magic to take the next step in playoff contention with goals of winning an Eastern Conference championship.

But it isn’t just Banchero who has pressure to exceed expectations. Players like guard Anthony Black also have something to prove after taking a major jump into an “X-factor” role for the Magic.

Now entering his fourth season, Black took a major leap last season, averaging career highs across the board, highlighted by his 15 points per game.

Full Court Magic host Don Strouble joined the podcast to discuss Black’s growth and potential role next season.

Here’s everything Strouble said during the latest episode:

"What is this team going to get from Anthony Black, right? Black enjoyed an exponential jump last season, got up to 15 points per game average. And I would have been curious to see what he would have been able to do if he didn't suffer, I believe it was that abdominal strain there towards the second half of the year, February into March. What would he have been able to achieve if he didn't have to miss a month of basketball? Because there were nights when he looked great, but he was another one that shrunk in the postseason. Can he be better? Can he show that he's extension-worthy and that he is a legitimate six-man night in and night out?"

"What can this team do in its offseason preparation to be ready to go? And what is Sean Sweeney scheming up? Because he is a coach that we know how good he is as a defensive mind and how he was able to help elevate the San Antonio Spurs' defense with Victor Wembanyama as the head of the snake, right? And the goal is to get the Magic back to how dominant they were defensively, because they fell off badly last year—they fell out of the top 10 in defensive rating when they were top three the year before. And so, how can he help revitalize the defense while also integrating a new kind of offensive philosophy in a way that's beneficial for the group and plays to the strengths of everyone who's touching the floor?"

"Because he wants to get everyone who's touching the floor involved. And so that's going to take some work to get everyone integrated in a way where when the ball is in your hands, you become the point guard. I believe those were his words at some point. He was talking about spacing and how important that is, and he wants to implement discipline and things of that nature. And the Magic are going to need all the best parts of Shawn Sweeney to be successful this season because it's not going to be an easy year, right? But they're made of the right stuff, he's made of the right stuff, and it'll be interesting to see what happens."

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