Magic Gaming feels it has unfinished business, a year after finishing one slot out of the postseason.
On Saturday, the squad starts its journey toward the playoffs at the NBA 2K League’s draft in New York City.
Head coach Jonah Edwards said the third year for the league will be crucial.
“It’s vitally important,” he told The OVG. “We are a growing league. We have done a good job of finding ways to evolve, even expanding internationally this year.”
For the first time, the NBA 2K League will include an international team, with the Gen.G Tigers becoming the 23rd team in the league.
In addition, the league has added more European players in its draft pool.
But Magic Gaming has its own new look to debut when the season kicks off this spring.
In October, the squad shed its first-round pick in today’s draft for Pistons GT center Robbie May.
The second-year player appeared in 13 games last season, averaging 11.5 points and 11.2 rebounds. He had seven double-doubles.
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“When we made the trade, we looked at going after the best center in the world,” Edwards said. “We pulled the trigger and we got a guy we value pretty highly and has an understanding of how we play.”
Because of the trade, the Magic will not pick until the second round, where it has the 35th pick in the draft.
The combination of May’s arrival and another season of experience for the league’s 2019 rookie of the year Brendan “Reizey” Hill has Edwards pumped for the team, which finished 9-7 during last year’s regular season.
The trade for May was the team’s second of 2019.
It also acquired Brandon “ToXSiK” Raudenbush in May.
“If we had pulled the trigger on that one earlier, we firmly believe we would have been a playoff team,” Edwards said.
This season, the team will have a chance to prove him right.
“We are in a good place. We were not a top destination last year but I think a lot of people want to come here now. The narrative has shifted around us.”