ORLANDO - Pat Williams, then the Magic’s general manager who not long before spearheaded the team’s NBA arrival, still remembers the way the 1989 NBA Draft played out.
Williams, a few weeks before the draft took place, had heard rumors that Nick Anderson, a 6-foot-6 junior at Illinois, was considering declaring for the draft that year.
Doing his due diligence, Williams brought Anderson down to Orlando for a last-minute workout and a meet-and-greet. It went extremely well, and the longtime executive was excited about the idea of selecting Anderson should he be on the board when the Magic were on the clock.