NBA Draft - Another German in the Orlando Magic team
The Munich-born basketball player Tristan da Silva will play for a team with German world champions Franz and Moritz Wagner in the future. The Orlando Magic drafted the 23-year-old wing player at the 18th spot of the first round during the NBA Draft on a Wednesday evening (local time). The 2.06 meter tall brother of national player Oscar da Silva played last at college for the Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder. At the event in the Barclays Center in New York, he wore a jacket with Bavarian colors and the Brazilian flag as lining. Part of his family is from Brazil.
"Unbelievable joy and great relief" he felt, said da Silva in his first press conference and reported on a good mutual friend with the Wagners. "I had contact with both of them before."
The Orlando Magic made it to the playoffs last season for the first time in four years. Besides the Wagner brothers from Berlin, the young team also has Paolo Banchero under contract, who was selected first in the draft two years ago. Teams secure the rights to draft prospects in the order, but they can also trade their positions or transfer rights to other teams.
French basketball players were in high demand
The Atlanta Hawks chose the 19-year-old Zaccharie Risacher as the first pick. A French player was also the first pick last year: Victor Wembanyama, who managed to become the best rookie in the league last season. French basketball players were in high demand: The Washington Wizards secured Alexandre Sarr in second place, and the Charlotte Hornets chose Tidjane Salaun at sixth place.
Bronny James, son of NBA star LeBron James, was not drafted in the first round. Opinions among experts on his talent vary greatly, with most predicting at best a second-round pick. Like German player Ariel Hukporti, who currently plays for the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in the Bundesliga, James is also on the list of available players for day two of the draft. The draft goes into the final round on Thursday (9:00 PM CEST).
Tristan da Silva, hailing from Munich, Germany, expressed joy and relief after being drafted by the NBA's Orlando Magic, joining his brother Oscar's national team compatriots Franz and Moritz Wagner in the USA. The event took place at the Barclays Center in New York, with Tristan donning a jacket adorned with Bavarian colors and the Brazilian flag.
During the NBA Draft, teams can secure the rights to draft prospects in a specific order, but they can also trade or transfer these positions to other teams. This year, the demand for French basketball players was high, with the Atlanta Hawks choosing Zaccharie Risacher as their first pick, and the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets selecting Alexandre Sarr and Tidjane Salaun, respectively.
The Orlando Magic, who made it to the playoffs for the first time in four years, also have Paolo Banchero under contract, who was selected first in the draft two years ago. The NBA has a rich international talent pool, with Brazilians, Germans, and French players featured prominently in this year's draft. LeBron James' son, Bronny, was not selected in the first round, but there's still hope for him in the later rounds.
