Two days before the 2020 draft, the Orlando Magic have officially signed their pick from the 2019 draft.
Chuma Okeke, drafted with the 16th overall pick in 2019, has signed his rookie contract with the Magic, the team announced Monday.
The Okeke pick was a surprise by the Magic given the team’s more pressing needs and limited roster flexibility. Okeke, who averaged 12.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game as a sophomore at Auburn, was recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
The surprises continued when it was announced the Magic planned to make Okeke a redshirt rookie in what was seemingly an unprecedented verbal agreement (one that I am still surprised Okeke agreed to given the risks and one-year delay in his free agency).