2025 NBA Draft Thread 2.0

[cedric76]

Nothing crazy came out of it other than Jase as a little kid was very familiar with Stuff’s Magic Castle.

I thought the one reporter who asked Jase about the origin of his number should/could have asked Noah the same..

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93 is the number of his French district where he’s from.

Fournier was from district 94 and that’s why he’s wearing that number at Olympiakos.

Both are part of ile de France

Seine-Saint-Denis (93) Val-de-Marne (94)

[yoyojw17]

Watch on YouTube

Welcome JASE AND NOAH!!!

p.s. Penda is a big boy! lol

[basketballRob]

Noah should do well in the summer league since he was playing professionally a couple of weeks ago.

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[FM6]

It's not "just 3 point shot" it's pretty much entire jumpshot ability away.
Euro 3 point line is nba deep mid range. So he can't really pull up from any deeper range, if you consider sub 30% from deep mid range.

While these are two different levels of talent, I still find the following as encouraging... Wembanyama, in the same French league, shot an abysmal 27% from 3 on five apg. The previous season, his sophomore season in the French league, he shot 26% on three attempts per game and only averaged 9.4 ppg. He was able to up his 3 percentage to 32% in his NBA rookie season and 35% this past season.

Penda shot 30% on three attempts per game from 3 as a rookie in that French league and averaged 10 ppg. He also shot 36.6% on catch and shoot from 3. I think he'll be able to improve his shot enough to at least be serviceable from there, which is enough for him at pf on this team.

Victor probably shouldn't be shooting near 9 three-FGA in nba anyway, but Victor's last year in Franch league:
21,6 ppg
10,4 rpg
3 bpg
MVP
League's leading scorer
award for best young player
DPOY
League's best blocker
Ideal 5 selection

Guy had 6 throphies after French league ceremony


In his first season in France, he was 17. Penda is just year younger than Vic. It's bit wild to consider fact that Wemby only turns 22 in January as he is, when healthy, top 8-ish player, impact vise.

My point wasn't to say that Penda will ever be anywhere near Wemby's level of talent in the league. Wembanyama, if he stays healthy, has the potential to be a clear first ballot Hall of Famer. Penda, at best, has the potential to be a high level role player for a contender.

I was just pointing out that Wemby was able to fix his shot and up his 3 point percentage after shooting abysmally in the French league. Penda's shooting isn't far from repairable.

[yoyojw17]

Noticed jase's posture again.... He could be taller if he stood up straighter. That's why probably for 6'3" in college. ... Mom said .. "stand up straight" haha. #oladiposyndrome

Only reason I thought about it is cuz I hunch forward and straighten out nicely when around taller people. Lol

[yoyojw17]

Orlando Magic
Overall Draft Grade: A+

Round 1, Pick 26
Jase Richardson, SG, Michigan State
Grade: A+
Round 2, Pick 32
Noah Penda, F, France
Grade: A
Coming off consecutive playoff appearances, the Orlando Magic didn’t just show up to the 2025 NBA Draft, they dominated it.

A front office that’s already built a strong foundation around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner just added two more perfect-fit pieces.


The result? An A+ haul that should help fuel a deeper postseason run.

Let’s start with Jase Richardson, the smooth, smart combo guard out of Michigan State.

He’s not the same kind of athlete his dad Jason was, he’s something different. Richardson is steady. He’s polished. And he’s already figured out how to impact games without needing the ball in his hands much.

At MSU, he thrived as a low-usage, high-efficiency player, knocking down shots with great touch and making sharp decisions off the bounce.

As the season wore on, he flashed real shot-creation skills in the pick-and-roll, quietly becoming one of the best ball-screen scorers in the country. He defends, he thinks the game at a high level, and he knows how to play next to stars.

He’s the kind of player who can elevate a second unit or close out games alongside Banchero, Wagner, and Desmond Bane.

Orlando was mocked to take him at No. 16 before trading that pick to Memphis.

Getting him at No. 25? Steal.

Then came the trade-up. On night two, the Magic made an aggressive move to grab Noah Penda at No. 32, sending out future capital to do it.

It was worth it.

Penda had a first-round grade on plenty of boards and for good reason. The French forward is 6’8”, 225 pounds, with a 7-foot wingspan and the kind of mature defensive instincts you rarely see from a 20-year-old.

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nba/2025-nba-draft-team-grades/

[Skin]

I keep hearing that these guys have Magic DNA.... but is that a good thing? Magic DNA just means long bois who can't shoot.

[fendilim]

I keep hearing that these guys have Magic DNA.... but is that a good thing? Magic DNA just means long bois who can't shoot.

you dont know what they can get out of the hat. That’s why it is called Magic.

[drsd]

Weltman is 5'10 and Mosely is 6'8".

Are the new Magicians standing on somehting? Both look too tall in this photo.

[orlando_joe]

Weltman is 5'10 and Mosely is 6'8".

Are the new Magicians standing on somehting? Both look too tall in this photo.

mosley and weltman a standing a step behind them is all

[MAGICian619]

Combine measurements:

Richardson: 6’0.5” barefoot (should be listed 6’1” or 6’2” with shoes)

Penda: 6’7.25” barefoot (should be listed 6’8” with shoes)

[Knightro]

Read on Twitter

https://theswishtheory.com/2025-nba-draft-articles/2024/12/closeout-creation-the-fulcrum-of-nba-offenses/

[drsd]

Read on Twitter

https://theswishtheory.com/2025-nba-draft-articles/2024/12/closeout-creation-the-fulcrum-of-nba-offenses/

Interesting that the 2 is worth the same as the 3 !!!!

Unleash the pick and roll.

[drsd]

p.s. Penda is a big boy! lol

250 lbs.

[RookieStar]

p.s. Penda is a big boy! lol

250 lbs.

Yeah he really is huge...

Tank-like.

Hope he develops properly. As I remember, even swole rookies cant stop even KD-like body of NBA vets.

[eyriq]

Read on Twitter

https://theswishtheory.com/2025-nba-draft-articles/2024/12/closeout-creation-the-fulcrum-of-nba-offenses/

This article backs up a point I’ve been hammering for a while that wing-hub offenses don’t need a traditional floor general. They need shooting and spacing.

Closeout creation, the foundation of modern offense, only works if defenders respect shooters. No gravity means no space for the hub to operate.

Spot-up plays are the engine. Draw help, kick it out, punish the rotation. That’s the formula.

You don’t build this system around a heliocentric PG. You build it around shooters who stretch the floor and keep defenses rotating.

[tiderulz]

Read on Twitter

https://theswishtheory.com/2025-nba-draft-articles/2024/12/closeout-creation-the-fulcrum-of-nba-offenses/

This article backs up a point I’ve been hammering for a while that wing-hub offenses don’t need a traditional floor general. They need shooting and spacing.

Closeout creation, the foundation of modern offense, only works if defenders respect shooters. No gravity means no space for the hub to operate.

Spot-up plays are the engine. Draw help, kick it out, punish the rotation. That’s the formula.

You don’t build this system around a heliocentric PG. You build it around shooters who stretch the floor and keep defenses rotating.

question is, do we have an architect to build that system? i havent seen it with the current coaching staff

[Skybox]

Read on Twitter

https://theswishtheory.com/2025-nba-draft-articles/2024/12/closeout-creation-the-fulcrum-of-nba-offenses/

This article backs up a point I’ve been hammering for a while that wing-hub offenses don’t need a traditional floor general. They need shooting and spacing.

Closeout creation, the foundation of modern offense, only works if defenders respect shooters. No gravity means no space for the hub to operate.

Spot-up plays are the engine. Draw help, kick it out, punish the rotation. That’s the formula.

You don’t build this system around a heliocentric PG. You build it around shooters who stretch the floor and keep defenses rotating.

so, the obvious conclusion is trade AB for Knecht-types

[Skin]

Weltman is 5'10 and Mosely is 6'8".

Are the new Magicians standing on somehting? Both look too tall in this photo.

Weltman at 5'10 is like Jase being 6'3 at Michigan St

[dsg2021]

Read on Twitter

https://theswishtheory.com/2025-nba-draft-articles/2024/12/closeout-creation-the-fulcrum-of-nba-offenses/

This article backs up a point I’ve been hammering for a while that wing-hub offenses don’t need a traditional floor general. They need shooting and spacing.

Closeout creation, the foundation of modern offense, only works if defenders respect shooters. No gravity means no space for the hub to operate.

Spot-up plays are the engine. Draw help, kick it out, punish the rotation. That’s the formula.

You don’t build this system around a heliocentric PG. You build it around shooters who stretch the floor and keep defenses rotating.