Orlando Magic second-year players Noah Penda and Jase Richardson received valuable experience in their rookie years that have shaped them.
Ahead of the Orlando Magic’s NBA Summer League slate in July, second-year guard Jase Richardson and second-year forward Noah Penda talked with the media following a practice about what they hoped to achieve in Summer League.
Both maintained a calm, collected and determined demeanor; one that comes with a bit of added experience from a rookie season in which they were both relied upon in NBA regular-season games.
Penda and Richardson were both thrust into action quickly, and they had to make contributions to demonstrate that they could maintain their place on the roster instead of being sent to the G-League for developmental purposes. Richardson appeared in 54 games for the Magic, while Penda appeared in 59 games and made two starts.
Like Tristan da Silva before them, there was no luxury of time for Richardson and Penda. Orlando was dealing with injuries, and it needed them to step up to fill positions where depth was compromised.
Perhaps it was a gift and a curse. Perhaps Penda and Richardson could have benefited more by getting their feet wet in the G-League and honing their skills, but it is also good that they were sent to the deep end immediately.
The NBA is not like Major League Baseball, where high-level prospects receive years and various levels of development before they make it to the big stage. In the NBA, you have to show quickly that you belong, or your career can end quickly.
For Penda and Richardson, what better opportunity was there to show their worth than to be playing meaningful minutes for the Magic?
That experience also shaped both young players. Penda is 21, and Richardson is 20, and both players were able to adopt leadership roles during Summer League. It was something coach D.J. Bakker praised them for.
Penda and Richardson were able to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Both were able to grasp who they are as players and who they want to become at this level, and they were able to do so by being active participants in high-level basketball games against some of the league’s best players.
For Richardson, the desire to become a better defender and point guard was evident when talking to him. For Penda, there was a realization that there needs to be growth, and he needs to eliminate the mistakes he made as a rookie.
Now, with more experience in tow, both Penda and Richardson have the opportunity to be more impactful for their team next season, and the Magic will need that from them.
