Magic President Excited for French NBA Rookie
The Orlando Magic used their No. 32 pick to draft French forward Noah Penda on Thursday. Unlike the other draft prospects, Penda is a 20-year-old professional basketball player who played for two professional basketball leagues. The Magic traded picks Nos. 46, 57 and a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Boston Celtics.
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At 6-foot-8, there's an expectation that Penda will be part of Orlando's rotation in the 2025-26 season. The young forward is raw and talented and is considered to be a "Swiss army knife." Many believe the French basketball player has the potential to be a decent basketball player as he develops in the NBA.
Orlando Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman speaks during a press conference.Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
After Orlando drafted the young forward, team president Jeff Weltman revealed that Penda was already on their radar before. During their trips in Europe, Weltman and the Magic saw the potential for the youngster to be a part of their organization.
"Noah is a very unique player," Weltman said. "He's 6-7 plus, [with a] 7-foot wingspan, probably about 250 [pounds]. He is exceptionally skilled. A very good ballhandler, very good passer and an excellent defender. He's kind of a unique player. When we first saw him, he struck us on one of our first trips to Europe as a guy to flag for the rest of the season."
Weltman also spoke highly of Penda's development in France after playing professional basketball for three years.
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"He is just a worker and has gotten better and better. He has improved his body, and as he has done that, he has become one of the elite players in the league at 20," he added.
Last season, he played for Le Mans Sarthe Basket and appeared in 29 games. He averaged 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists. The Magic value his addition to the squad as they try to contend for the NBA title next season.
Related: Suns, Magic Reportedly Tried Trading for Cavaliers Star
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
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