Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson and forward Noah Penda have learned a lot of lessons, and they are prepared to utilize them heading into their second NBA season.
The Orlando Magic are gearing up for a critical season in which they must demonstrate growth by taking the next step as a contender in the Eastern Conference, and that growth does not fall solely on Orlando’s best players but on the roster at large.
The expectations for players such as Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs are obvious, but what about others on the team? What about young players such as Jase Richardson and Noah Penda, who are both heading into their second NBA season after getting firsthand experience on the big stage as rookies?
Both Penda and Richardson have learned from their first-year experiences, and they are better because of them. Now, it is time to take what they have learned and turn it into tangible evidence.
Recently, I discussed with my colleague RJ Saunders of 1010XL Magic the evolution of Penda and Richardson as players and what they can do for this team. Here is what I had to say:
"Yeah, I think that they've both grown tremendously in terms of the mental side of the game and the physical side of the game. They've done what it takes. I was at the media availability just before they left for Vegas, and Jase Richardson is really trying to hone in on his weaknesses.
He's trying to become a better defender. He's trying to become a better facilitator for his team. It's the same thing with Noah Penda; basically, talking about all those rookie mistakes, you've got to get them out of the way in year two.
You cannot have those same things pop up again and again, and those guys put proof into practice of what they were talking about by their performances in Vegas. Both of them had moments where they were taking over games. Summer league coach D.J. Bakker talked about how Jase Richardson was leaning into that leadership role and really became a voice that the team needed.
I think that these guys — that's what's interesting about the Magic and I guess the silver lining in all the injuries they deal with is that you look at Jase and Noah. You look at Tristan da Silva. These guys did not have the luxury of going down to the G League and developing.
They were getting up off the bench, and they were going and playing in real NBA games because this team needed them because they were running thin on depth. There's no better experience than being thrown right into the fire, and I think that both Jase Richardson and Noah Penda have grown from it, and they will be better for it in year two."
