ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic enter the 2026 NBA Draft without a first-round pick for the first time in years, holding only the 46th overall selection after trading their first-rounder to the Memphis Grizzlies last summer to acquire guard Desmond Bane.
The two-night draft begins Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., with the second round following Wednesday at 8 p.m. Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman said the limited draft capital has not slowed the front office’s preparation. “We’ve been quite busy,” Weltman said. “These days, it’s not really just the draft. It’s free agency as well. We’ve been plotting and ranking and trying to figure out if-this-then-that scenarios. It truly doesn’t change the work at all.”
Weltman expressed confidence in the roster during head coach Sean Sweeney’s introductory press conference. “We believe in this group. We think this group has tremendous potential,” Weltman said. “If you take care of those things, the wins will follow. We do believe we have the players, we have the timeline, and Sean at the helm to get us to where we need to get.”
With 45 players coming off the board before Orlando’s selection, mock drafts have linked the Magic to a range of prospects. Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso appears in multiple projections. UCLA power forward Tyler Bilodeau is another recurring name. “Frontcourt spacing is a priority for the Magic, and Bilodeau is one of the best shooting forwards in this draft,” CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein wrote. “The question will be whether he can hold his own on the defensive end of the floor.”
Tennessee point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie has also drawn attention despite his size. “Despite measuring under 6'0” barefoot, Ja’Kobi Gillespie’s 28 points during his first combine scrimmage highlighted enticing microwave shotmaking ability," Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman wrote. Purdue point guard Braden Smith, described as a player who “fits the mold of a scrappy, overachieving backup point guard who brings a high level of intangibles, toughness, and leadership,” is another second-round possibility, along with Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile and Houston guard Emanuel Sharp. “Sharp’s calling card is his shooting ability,” Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor wrote. “He can catch fire from 3-point range and be utilized as a weapon off screens.”
The Magic’s front office has not ruled out trading up, trading back or dealing out of the draft entirely. The first round airs Tuesday on ABC and ESPN, with the second round on ESPN Wednesday.