Anthony Black #0 of the Orlando Magic shoots the ball in the second half of a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Kia Center on October 25 (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Before his team’s return to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland for the first time since the opening round of last year’s NBA Playoffs, Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley may have said it best: “Not much is easier without Paolo [Banchero]. I can’t sugarcoat that one.”
Banchero, who started the 2024-25 NBA campaign on a mission, suffered a torn right oblique after scoring 81 points in his last two games. Orlando’s star will be out for six to eight weeks at minimum before being re-evaluated. It’s a tough break for Banchero and a Magic squad that will have to collectively fill a massive void.
While Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner may be the obvious solution to spearhead that effort, Orlando second-year swingman Anthony Black is going to be asked to play a pivotal role as a playmaker and a bucket-getter.
“I mean, we're losing nearly 30 points a game, so we all know we gotta step up,” Black told RG prior to the team’s game vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. “I guess part of that is me being aggressive, so for sure just looking to do that as we go on.”
Despite a hard-fought game in which the Magic came up short, Black drew his first start of the season (and since March 8). Two of his three looks from the corner didn’t fall, but his presence was felt getting to the basket and moving away from the ball.
He hadn’t started since March 8, but he displayed vision and a strong ability to guard that the team will rely on moving forward.
“Ball-handling. There’s a poise, size defensively,” Mosley said of Black’s responsibilities. “I just think that he has a great knack for how to play off the ball as well, so not just necessarily having to handle it but obviously playing alongside Franz and Jalen and those guys, knowing when to cut, crashing the glass.
“We’re gonna talk more about the defensive side of it than anything. I think that’s what’s very important for him to recognize as we go forward.”
Playoff Lessons and Offseason Workout
This past April, the Magic took the Cavaliers to the brink in their postseason matchup. There was physicality, energy and momentum swings everywhere. Unfortunately, aside from Game 3 and Game 4 in mop-up time, Black wasn’t a big part of it – including the winner-take-all Game 7.
“It was tough, but I wanted my team to win,” Black said. “I was watching the game as a fan, hoping we won the game. Just tried to do that and say things as I saw from the bench.”
Not being a part of the rotation in the playoffs isn’t too uncommon for rookies, though. It’s a chance to observe, take notes and, ideally, apply that knowledge toward the next opportunity they get when it matters.
“Really just playoff physicality and competition,” Black said. “I learned a lot just about the game, the flow, the importance of each possession. Just how important it is to win.”
“I think the game slows down when you’re able to do that,” Mosley added. “You have a different vantage point. I think this is what helps sometimes when guys do go out with injury or you’re not playing in your rotation, if you can study the game from a different side, I think it helps out a ton. And so for AB to be able to do that last year and watch and see – playing early and not playing late and then bouncing back in and out – I think that helps him a ton because he’s able to slow the game down and recognize certain reads.”
When the Magic got eliminated, Black immediately got busy in the offseason.
“Just worked a lot on my floor game, my body, continued to work on my shot and just my aggression with the ball as a whole for sure,” Black said.
Between his summer and a strong training camp, Mosley saw firsthand why he’d be a critical piece of Orlando’s rotation. The determination to improve showed up big time in a 119-115 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
Black played the entire fourth quarter and was crucial, particularly in crunch time.
In a tie game late, he guarded Tyrese Haliburton and switched naturally onto Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith on a beautiful possession defensively. Before the two-minute mark, Black didn’t budge on a screen, drew a foul on Nesmith and calmly hit a pair of free throws. He cut off drives the next play and snagged a rebound.
After Haliburton nailed a clutch three to even things up again, Black came up huge on a go-ahead left corner triple that Suggs swung over to him after Banchero had multiple defenders crash in. With an Orlando stop the ensuing possession, it proved to be the deciding play.
Suggs specifically pointed out Black’s contributions postgame and got emotional when he spoke about the 20-year-old getting the moment he worked for. Black is grateful for the locker room believing in him.
“It's huge,” Black said. “Having support and trust from your teammates is what makes it easier to just go out there and be yourself, so I definitely appreciate my teammates trusting me, pushing me every day in practice and camp and just making sure I stay locked in. And just instilling confidence in me for sure.”
Making Steps At The Right Time
Seeing him come through in that scenario is even more impressive considering that he wasn’t mistake-free going into the final period. Black had zero points and three turnovers to that point. He missed a corner three shortly before he was the hero late, too.
However, he fought through it and scored all eight of his points when it mattered the most. He made plays for his guys, read the game well on both ends and came up clutch.
“Prime example,” Mosley said. “I think those are just really key moments for him and his growth.
“Wanting to be perfect, it's just a desire a lot of players have,” Black added. “I think it can be difficult, but it's good to try to find a mix between striving for perfection and moving on and continuing to play through mistakes and ups and downs.
“I think, especially from my position, that's a special trait that you've got to have.”
Maturation and growth differ for every young player in the NBA. It is not without its trials and tribulations for anybody. Mosley knows that and has the ultimate faith in Black to come through because of what he’s done to get better.
Almost two weeks into the season, Black has scored in double figures in three games; he did it just five times as a rookie overall. He’s also dished out at least five assists in three contests, something he only did once in his first year.
Before the Banchero injury, Black was second on the team in assists per game. His usage is climbing; he’s blocking shots and doing a little bit of everything.
He’s making steps at the right time – and the Magic are going to need it.
“It definitely feels like a little bit of progress but just trying to get in a rhythm, get a feel for it and just do what the team needs me to do for real as the season goes,” Black said.
“It's slowing down game-by-game. I think there's still another level to which it can kinda slow down for me, so I guess right now we're just gonna keep trying to take it day by day and see. Let it slow down as it slows down, really. Just keep playing.”
Spencer Davies has covered the NBA and the Cleveland Cavaliers as a credentialed reporter for the past nine seasons. His work has appeared on Basketball News, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, FOX Sports, HoopsHype, CloseUp360, FanSided and Basketball Insiders among others. In addition to his work in journalism, he has been a senior editor, a digital production assistant, social media manager and a sports radio anchor and producer.
