Turning up the tenacity
Magic expect rugged defense from Iwundu
The Orlando Magic brought Wesley Iwundu to Central Florida twice for separate pre-draft workouts. But as thorough as team officials were in vetting Iwundu, you can rest assured the team never put him through the scenario he overcame Monday afternoon.
Iwundu’s right sneaker fell off as the Magic faced the Dallas Mavericks in a summer league game. But he kept playing through two defensive possessions and one offensive possession before someone tossed him the shoe. Iwundu hurriedly slipped the sneaker on, crossed the midcourt line and stationed himself in the left corner.
A teammate hurled him the ball, and Iwundu swished a wide-open 3-pointer.
In that sequence, the rookie swingman displayed one of the qualities that prompted the Magic to pick him: tenacity. Team officials expect him to be a rugged defender, and losing his right shoe didn’t prevent him from chasing Mavericks players all around the court.
“I’m just playing my game,” Iwundu said after Orlando lost to Dallas 86-76. What is his game, anyway? The Magic hope it will be as a “3-and-D” guy: someone who defends at a high level and sinks 3-pointers.
Players who do both have never been more valuable.
At 6-feet-7, Iwundu has the
size to defend small-ball power forwards but also might have the athleticism to defend point guards. That versatility would make him an ideal cog in a scheme in which defenders switch on pick-and-rolls.
“Wesley’s a really nice player,” said Chad Forcier, the Magic’s lead assistant coach. “He’s going to come along nicely. I really like what you see with his length, and he’s got real active hands. He’s got great anticipation. He’s a big guard. And he cares about playing defense.”
The Magic too often lacked flexibility or passion on defense last season.
And the team didn’t have enough 3-point shooting, either, finishing next-to-last in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage.
Iwundu’s NBA development ultimately might depend on how much he improves from long range. In four years at Kansas State, he made only 33.8 percent of his treys. But he did improve as a senior, making 37.6 percent of his attempts.
It would be nice, too, if he can handle the basketball effectively and occasionally initiate the offense.
During the Magic’s exhibition game Sunday, Iwundu started to bring the ball upcourt but passed the ball when he faced a bit of pressure. Forcier called Iwundu over to the sideline during the next stoppage in play and reminded him not to immediately pass after he crosses halfcourt.
“We believe in his experience as a ball-handler and a pick-and-roll player and we like what he has,” Forcier said.
“We want to make sure that he has a lot of opportunity this week to get some experience doing that. I don’t want him just getting the ball across halfcourt and giving it to somebody else to run any offense. We want him to feel comfortable and confident enough and empowered to get us into something.”
Perhaps that can be taught.
What can’t be taught is toughness.
Fortunately for Iwundu, he already looks hard-nosed.
On Sunday, he provided one of the Magic’s best summer-league highlights when he chased down a Miami Heat player on a fast break and blocked a layup attempt from behind.
On Monday against the Mavericks, he once drove along the baseline and elevated for a dunk despite a vertical challenge by a defender.
Iwundu powered through the defender and dunked.