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<\/p>\nWatch Countdown to Tip-Off | An Orlando Magic special from WESH 2 Sports<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNEW ERA FOR THE ORLANDO MAGIC. I THINK WE\u2019RE READY TO KIND OF WALK INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR TEAM. IT\u2019S MORE OF A WIN NOW PHILOSOPHY, A WIN NOW. APPROACH A PUBLIC SHIFT, BRINGING HOPE THAT TODAY COULD FEEL LIKE THE DAYS OF OLD WITH A POWERFUL DUNK. THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN BUILT AND NOW THIS KINGDOM IS ON THE RISE. IT\u2019S A MINDSET. YOU CAN SEE THE SHIFT IN THE WAY IN WHICH THEY\u2019RE GOING. YOU CAN SEE THE WAY THAT THEY\u2019RE APPROACHING THE GAME A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. THIS TEAM\u2019S CORE WAS BUILT BY THE DRAFT, BUT HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED OVER THE SUMMER. IT STARTS TOMORROW. ALL THOSE SMALL THINGS ADD UP, AND THEN WHEN IT\u2019S TIME TO SHINE, LIKE YOU\u2019RE ALREADY READY, A NEW STANDARD IN THE CITY. BEAUTIFUL. DO YOU WANT TO PLAY HIGH LEVEL BASKETBALL? YOU WANT TO PLAY BIG STAKES BASKETBALL. YOU KIND OF GET THAT FEELING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE\u2019RE, YOU KNOW, WE\u2019RE SERIOUS AND WE\u2019RE TRYING TO CONTEND. THIS IS OUR SEASON PREVIEW SHOW AS WE COUNTDOWN TO TIP OFF FOR THE ORLANDO MAGIC FROM WESH TWO SPORTS. THIS IS MAGIC COUNTDOWN TO TIP OFF. WE ARE LIVE INSIDE THE ADVENTHEALTH TRAINING CENTER IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, THE HOME OF THE ORLANDO MAGIC, ABOUT A BLOCK NORTH OF THE KIA CENTER. THIS IS WHERE THE WORK IS DONE. NO BETTER PLACE TO PREVIEW THE SEASON AHEAD. AS WE COUNT YOU DOWN TO TIP OFF IN ANOTHER SEASON OF ORLANDO MAGIC BASKETBALL. HELLO EVERYBODY! ALONGSIDE KRISTEN LAGO, I\u2019M DAREN STOLZFUS AND WE ARE FIRED UP FOR THE START OF A NEW SEASON. THE REAL THING GETS UNDERWAY A WEEK FROM TODAY ON NBC. THE MAGIC HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEDNESDAY, THOUGH, TO REALLY TIP OFF THEIR SEASON. YEAH, AS YOU ALLUDED TO THERE, DAREN THE MAGIC WILL TIP OFF THEIR SEASON A WEEK FROM TOMORROW AGAINST THE MIAMI HEAT. BUT FOR ALL OF THAT HAPPENS, WE\u2019RE GOING TO GET YOU READY FOR THAT TIP OFF WITH ALL OF THE STORYLINES THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW. YEAH, A LOT HAS CHANGED HERE FOR THE ORLANDO MAGIC. AND I THINK THAT\u2019S UNDERSELLING IT A LITTLE BIT. THINGS ARE DIFFERENT HERE IN ORLANDO. THEY HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW SEASONS. THEY\u2019RE BACK TO BACK PLAYOFF APPEARANCES. BUT NOW THE EXPECTATIONS ARE REALLY ON THE RISE. AND WITH SOME SIGNIFICANT MOVES FROM THE FRONT OFFICE, IT FEELS LIKE IT\u2019S TIME TO WIN. NOW IN ORLANDO. YEAH, IT\u2019S BEEN A BIT OF A SLOW BURN FOR A WHILE HERE, BUT THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE ALL OF THE PIECES ON THE FLOOR AND OFF OF IT TO BE CONTENDERS. IF NOT NOW, THEN VERY SOON. AND THAT MAY BE THE BIGGEST CHANGE OF ALL FOR THIS FRANCHISE. AND I THINK AS THESE GUYS BUY INTO THAT VISION FROM THE FRONT OFFICE, THEY\u2019RE SEEING THE FRONT OFFICE BACK THEM, AND IT REALLY HAS TAKEN THINGS UP A NOTCH GETTING TO THE PLAYOFFS. THAT\u2019S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR THIS GROUP. NO. WE\u2019VE SEEN THE EXPECTATIONS SORT OF CHANGE WITH EVERY YEAR THAT THAT FOUNDATION HAS BEEN LAID. WE\u2019VE HEARD IT FROM POWELL, WE\u2019VE HEARD IT FROM FANS. JALEN, ALL OF THE CORE. THEY SAID THE SAME. THEY DON\u2019T WANT TO JUST GET TO THE PLAYOFFS ANYMORE. THAT\u2019S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. AND THEY DON\u2019T JUST WANT HOME COURT ADVANTAGE THEY WANT MORE. YEAH THEY\u2019VE HAD A TASTE. THEY WANT MORE. AND I THINK GETTING TO THAT NEXT STEP I DON\u2019T EVEN KNOW IF THAT\u2019S GOING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH. THIS GROUP WANTS A SHOT AT A CHAMPIONSHIP I MEAN IT\u2019S EXCITING. YOU KNOW, THAT\u2019S WHAT I\u2019VE BEEN WAITING FOR, FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, GET SERIOUS. AND, YOU KNOW, BE READY TO CONTEND. I THINK JUST THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION IS DIFFERENT. AND JUST THE TERM IN TERMS OF THE ATTITUDE. AND, YOU KNOW WHAT EVERYONE\u2019S TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, WHAT OUR GOALS ARE, YOU KNOW, IT\u2019S EVERYTHING\u2019S BEEN ELEVATED. I THINK IT\u2019S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE MENTALITY OF WANTING TO WIN AND FEELING LIKE YOU\u2019RE SUPPOSED TO WIN, BUT ALSO REALIZING THAT IT\u2019S JUST DAY BY DAY, KIND OF FOCUSING ON EACH MOMENT. I THINK GUYS HAVE GOTTEN A TASTE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS OF, OKAY, WE MADE THE PLAYOFFS GREAT. WE\u2019VE EXPERIENCED IT, WE\u2019VE SEEN IT, BUT NOW THERE\u2019S A TASTE AND A THIRST FOR MORE. BUT TAKING THAT NEXT STEP, QUENCHING THAT THIRST IS SO DIFFICULT. AND WE\u2019RE GOING TO FIND OUT OVER THE NEXT HALF HOUR WHY. YEAH. AND WHEN YOU TALK TO PAOLO BANCHERO I THINK YOU TOLD ME HE SAID IT BEST. IT\u2019S ALL ABOUT STAYING HEALTHY FOR THIS TEAM BECAUSE THE INJURY BUG, IT HIT THE MAGIC PRETTY HARD AND REPEATEDLY OVER THE LAST SEASON. AND AS WE START THE NEW YEAR, THIS TEAM IS STILL IN THE HEALING PROCESS. JALEN SUGGS HAD LARGELY BEEN LIMITED TO NO CONTACT DRILLS TODAY. HE DID PARTICIPATE IN A LITTLE BIT OF CONTACT. WENT THROUGH THE THREE ON THREE DURING PRACTICE, BUT THE MAGIC\u2019S HOPED HE\u2019D BE READY TO START THE SEASON. WE DON\u2019T KNOW IF THAT\u2019S GOING TO HAPPEN YET, BUT MO WAGNER TAHESHA EXCUSE ME, HIS ACL IN LATE DECEMBER. TYPICALLY THAT\u2019S AT LEAST A NINE MONTH RECOVERY PERIOD. BUT SOME NBA PLAYERS HAVE NEEDED MORE THAN A YEAR TO RETURN TO THE FLOOR. YEAH. SO ABOUT ONE WEEK OUT. HERE\u2019S HOW THE INJURY LIST LOOKS. NO OFFICIAL DESIGNATION FOR EITHER OF THOSE GUYS, BOTH LISTED AS DAY TO DAY. BUT IF PAST HISTORY IS ANY GUIDE, WE\u2019RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE MAGIC RUSH TO GET THESE GUYS BACK ON THE FLOOR. BUT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE MAGIC ARE SO OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE UPCOMING YEAR, ONE OF THEIR NEWEST ACQUISITIONS, DESMOND BANE. HE COMES TO THE MAGIC FROM THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES AND THEY GAVE UP A LOT TO GET HIM. BUT THERE\u2019S A BIG REASON WHY. YEAH, THAT WAS THEIR FIRST MAJOR TRADE IN ABOUT FOUR YEARS. THEY PAID A PRETTY PENNY FOR DESMOND BANE SERVICES. BUT ZACH MASKAVICH WILL TELL US WHY THIS TEAM BELIEVES HE IS WELL WORTH IT TO SAY THE MAGIC WERE HIGH ON DESMOND BANE. BOY, WOULD THAT BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. THE GUY IS ALMOST THE PLAYER YOU WOULD DESIGN IF YOU COULD START FROM SCRATCH. THERE AREN\u2019T TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT I THINK THE LEAGUE REGARDS AS HIGHLY IN THEIR LOCKER ROOM, IN THEIR ORGANIZATION, IN PRACTICE, AS DESMOND BANE. NOW, IT TOOK A LOT TO GET BANE FROM MEMPHIS FOR FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS COLE ANTHONY AND KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL POPE, BUT IT\u2019S A MOVE THE MAGIC FELT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL TO FOCUS ON WINNING NOW. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT BANE HAS DONE DURING HIS FIVE YEAR NBA CAREER, HE HAS JUST SHOT 41% FROM THREE SINCE ENTERING THE NBA. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ORLANDO DESPERATELY NEEDS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAGIC WERE DEAD LAST IN THREE POINT PERCENTAGE IN THE NBA LAST YEAR. NOW, THIS IS A MOVE THAT MANY FANS FEEL HAS THE MAGIC AS FRONTRUNNERS IN THE EAST THIS SEASON. AROUND THE NBA, BANE IS KNOWN AS BEING A TENACIOUS PLAYER ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR. THAT\u2019S SOMETHING THAT HE AND JALEN SUGGS HAVE IN COMMON, AND SUGGS CAN\u2019T WAIT TO HAVE BANE IN THE BACKCOURT WITH HIM THIS YEAR. DESMOND BANE ANSWERS FOR THE MAGIC HIS DOG MENTALITY, I THINK IS LIKE STANDS OUT ABOVE ALL ELSE WHEN HE STEPS IN BETWEEN THESE LINES. HE\u2019S SUCH A DOG. HE WANTS TO WIN. HE WANTS TO COMPETE. HE WANTS TO RUFFLE FEATHERS IN A GOOD WAY, WHICH I LOVE. AND SO JUST BEING ABLE TO GET IN THE BACKCOURT WITH HIM ONCE WE START FLOWING, GET OUR VIBES RIGHT, FIND EACH OTHER\u2019S TIMING AND SPACE. I THINK IT\u2019S GOING TO BE ELITE NOW. I THINK WE TRULY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ONE OF THE BEST BACKCOURTS, THE BEST BACKCOURT IN THE LEAGUE. THIS IS A MOVE THAT FANS AND PLAYERS ALIKE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. THE MAGIC ARE PUSHING THEIR CHIPS IN TO START WINNING NOW. THE EXPECTATION IS SOMETHING THAT BANE AND HIS NEW TEAMMATES ARE EMBRACING. I THINK IT\u2019S GOOD TO GO INTO A SEASON WHERE PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING THINGS OF YOU, YOU KNOW, I\u2019VE BEEN IN POSITIONS WHERE WE\u2019RE JUST TRYING TO STAY AFLOAT, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, IT\u2019S IT\u2019S IT\u2019S GREAT. I MEAN, EVERYBODY I THINK HAS GOT TO RISE TO THE OCCASION, YOU KNOW, DON\u2019T DON\u2019T BACK DOWN FROM IT. BRINGING IN DESMOND TYUS THE TWO ROOKIES. YOU KNOW I\u2019M REALLY HIGH ON. YOU CAN KIND OF GET THAT FEELING THAT YOU KNOW THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE\u2019RE YOU KNOW WE\u2019RE SERIOUS AND WE\u2019RE YOU KNOW TRYING TO CONTEND ZACH MASKAVICH WESH TWO SPORTS. THANK YOU. ZACH DESMOND BANE JOINING WHAT IS STILL A VERY YOUNG MAGIC CORPS BECAUSE WHEN YOU\u2019RE OLDEST PLAYER IS 29, IT\u2019S CLEAR THERE\u2019S A YOUTH MOVEMENT GOING ON HERE IN ORLANDO. JUST FOUR TEAMS HAVE A YOUNGER AVERAGE AGE THAN THE ORLANDO MAGIC. YEAH. IN THAT CORE FOUR THAT YOU SEE ON THEIR SCREEN, THEY\u2019RE ALL BACKED UP. PAOLO BANCHERO, FRANZ WAGNER, JALEN SUGGS, DESMOND BANE LOCKED UP FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. AT THE MINIMUM, THE FOUNDATION IS STRONG. THE PATH TO CONTENTION APPEARS TO BE DIRECTLY AHEAD. NOW GETTING TO THIS SPOT, A LOT OF THAT COMES FROM THE FRONT OFFICE. WE\u2019RE GOING TO SIT DOWN ONE ON ONE WITH JEFF WELTMAN AN INTERVIEW YOU CAN ONLY SEE RIGHT HERE ON WESH TWO. BUT WE\u2019RE ALSO TALKING A LITTLE BIT OFF THE COURT. YEAH, WE\u2019RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE MAGIC DNA THAT RUNS THROUGH THIS ROSTER THIS YEAR. WE HAD A FATHER SON DUO TWO YEARS AGO. KIND OF TAKE THE PLACE. WE\u2019RE GOING TO EXPLORE THAT NEXT WITH THE RICHARDSON FAMILY BACK IN ORLANDO. BUT AS WE HEAD TO BREAK THE MAGIC ENTER THIS SEASON HAVING LOST SEVEN STRAIGHT PLAYOFF SERIES, IT\u2019S THE LONGEST ACTIVE STREAK IN THE NBA. THEY HAVEN\u2019T BEEN PAST THE FIRST ROUND SINCE 2010. ONLY THE PISTONS, KINGS AND HORNETS HAVE GONE LONGER SINCE THEIR LAST PLAYOFF SERIES WIN. THEY WANT TO CHANGE THAT. WE\u2019LL SEE IF THEY CAN. AND ONE GUARD SIX FROM MICHIGAN STATE. NUMBER 23. JASON RICHARDSON. A FAMILIAR NAME AND A FAMILY LEGACY ARE BACK IN ORLANDO THIS SEASON. FROM FATHER TO SON. THE RICHARDSON NAME HAS RETURNED TO THE MAGIC THAT IS A LITTLE MAGIC, RIGHT, CHRIS, WELCOME BACK TO COUNTDOWN TO TIPOFF. AS WE GET YOU SET FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON WITH THE ORLANDO MAGIC. WE HAD BROTHERS LAST YEAR. WE HAD A FATHER SON CONNECTION. THE DNA OF THIS TEAM RUNS DEEP HERE IN THE CITY. BEAUTIFUL. AND JAMAHL, MOSLEY SAID. THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THAT MAGIC DNA. WHEN I TALKED TO BOTH JACE AND JASON, THEY\u2019RE HOPING TO KIND OF CONTINUE THAT LEGACY HERE THIS YEAR. IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON. SAME CITY, SAME LAST NAME, TWO IN A ROW FOR YOUNG JACE RICHARDSON. BUT A WHOLE NEW STORY TO TELL. CAME FLYING IN FROM NOWHERE. CHASE RICHARDSON HIM GOING TO MY ALMA MATER AT MICHIGAN STATE AND THEN GETTING DRAFTED BY A FORMER TEAM THAT I PLAYED FOR. I COULDN\u2019T IMAGINE THAT PART OF IT. FOR HIS SON, JACE, IT\u2019S NEVER BEEN ABOUT LIVING IN HIS DAD\u2019S SHADOW, BUT ABOUT CARRYING ON THE FAMILY LEGACY IN HIS OWN UNIQUE WAY. IN MY HEAD, I KIND OF JUST GO ABOUT IT THAT WE\u2019RE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLAYERS. THAT WAS THE SAME THING. WHAT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I WENT TO MICHIGAN STATE? EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, EQUATE EVERYTHING I DID TO MY FATHER. SO JUST TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLAYERS. WHEN I ASKED JASON IF THERE\u2019S EVER BEEN A MOMENT WATCHING JASON PLAY WHERE HE CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY, OH YEAH, HE GOT THAT FROM ME. WELL, HIS ANSWER IT SAID IT ALL. NEVER A MOMENT, BECAUSE THERE\u2019S NEVER A MOMENT BECAUSE HE\u2019S SO CEREBRAL IN THE WAY HE PLAYS. AND SO FOR ME, IT WAS JUST TO RAISE HIM TO BE HIS OWN PERSON, LET HIM FIND HIS OWN PATH. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THE PATH LED THE 19 YEAR OLD TO A CITY HIS DAD ONCE CALLED HOME. JASON PLAYED FOR THE MAGIC FOR TWO SEASONS FROM 2010 TO 2012. MEMORIES NOW COMING FULL CIRCLE. THEY\u2019RE AMAZING, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH STUFF. HE WAS ALWAYS UP IN. THE STUFF PALACE JUST PLAYING, ALWAYS HOOPING. AND IT\u2019S KIND OF FUNNY BECAUSE HE\u2019S STILL PLAYING RIGHT NOW. HE\u2019S GRADUATED FROM STUFF\u2019S PALACE TO THE MAIN COURT. FOR ME, JUST TRYING TO LEARN FROM ALL THE GUARDS, FROM THESE GUYS LIKE JALEN ABBEY, JUST TRYING TO LEARN EVERY SINGLE DAY ABOUT WHAT THEY\u2019RE DOING AND HOW THEY\u2019RE GETTING BETTER. I\u2019M STILL KIND OF IN THAT MINDSET. LIKE I\u2019M STILL, YOU KNOW, STUDENT. I\u2019M STILL A KID, BUT NOW IT\u2019S REAL LIFE NOW. SO YOU GOT TO TAKE IT IN. AND WHILE BOTH HE AND JASON ARE ADAMANT THEY ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLAYERS, THERE\u2019S ONE THING THEY CAN BOTH AGREE ON JUST HOW SPECIAL IT IS TO SEE THEIR DREAMS COLLIDE. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT MOMENT IS GOING TO BE LIKE FOR YOU EMOTIONALLY, KNOWING THAT YOU WATCHED YOUR DAD PLAY HERE IN THIS CITY AS A KID, AND NOW YOU\u2019RE GOING TO STEP ON TO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, MAYBE A DIFFERENT LOGO, BUT THE SAME COURT. IT\u2019S GOING TO BE SURREAL. HONESTLY, GROWING UP, I USED TO BE AT THE GAMES ALL THE TIME, SO NOW I\u2019M THE ONE ON THE COURT. SO IT\u2019S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR MY WHOLE FAMILY. THE RICHARDSON NAME BACK IN ORLANDO AND IT\u2019S JASON\u2019S TURN TO MAKE IT COUNT. AND IF YOU ARE WONDERING, YES, THE FATHER AND SON DO TALK AFTER EVERY GAME AND EVERY PRACTICE. STILL, JACE STILL GETS ADVICE FROM JASON ON HOW TO CARRY HIMSELF AS A PRO. OBVIOUSLY, JACE IS 19. HIS BIRTHDAY IS ON THURSDAY, SO THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL BE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE BIG TWO. OH 19 I KNOW. 19 I DON\u2019T FEEL OLD AT ALL. YEAH, I WONDER IF HE\u2019S GETTING POINTS FOR POINTERS FROM STUFF STILL TOO, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT\u2019S PRETTY SPECIAL. ONE OF THE GUYS THE MAGIC HAVE HIT ON SOLIDLY IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE DRAFT. FIRST OVERALL PICK PAOLO BANCHERO. THE NEXT STEP FOR THIS TEAM, THOUGH, IS CAN PAOLO GRADUATE FROM BEING A STAR TO A SUPERSTAR? THE MAGIC ALREADY AGREED TO TERMS WITH HIM FOR A ROOKIE MAX CONTRACT EXTENSION. IT\u2019LL KICK IN AT THE START OF NEXT SEASON. FIVE YEARS, 239 MILLION COULD GO UP TO AS MUCH AS 287 MILLION IF HE HITS CERTAIN BENCHMARKS THIS SEASON. BUT THAT\u2019S JUST THE START. YEAH, THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT IS JUST ONE WAY THIS FRANCHISE IS GOING ALL IN ON MR. P5. THE BIGGEST QUESTION CAN HE TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND GO FROM STAR TO SUPERSTAR? I THINK I\u2019VE CHANGED A LOT JUST IN TERMS OF MY LEADERSHIP, HOW I APPROACH THE GAME NIGHT IN AND NIGHT OUT, HOW I APPROACH, YOU KNOW, BEING A GREAT TEAMMATE, A GREAT LEADER IN THIS LEAGUE. YOU KNOW, I THINK ME STILL FEELING LIKE I AM A YOUNG PLAYER. I FEEL LIKE I\u2019M NOW TURNING INTO A YOUNG LEADER AND JUST SOMEONE THAT MY TEAMMATES CAN LOOK TO, MY COACHES CAN LOOK TO, TO ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, DEPEND ON AND KNOW THAT I\u2019M GOING TO SHOW UP AND BE THERE. YOU KNOW. AND PAOLO WAS VERY YOUNG WHEN HE CAME TO ORLANDO ONE YEAR AT DUKE. HE DID TELL ME THE THING HE\u2019S MOST PROUD OF SINCE COMING TO ORLANDO. HIS HOUSE BUILT A GREAT CUSTOM HOME. HE\u2019S TAKEN A STEP. YOU CAN SEE THE MATURATION. HE\u2019S GROWING UP RIGHT, RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES. COMING UP. STILL TO COME HERE ON COUNTDOWN TO TIPOFF. IT IS A SEASON OF CHANGE FOR THE ORLANDO MAGIC. NEW LOGOS FRESHING REFRESHING. GOING BACK TO THE PINSTRIPES. HOW THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO TITLE CONTENTION. THIS IS COUNTDOWN TO TIPOFF. I\u2019M A CAT GUY. I DON\u2019T DISLIKE DOGS. I WILL PET A DOG. I\u2019LL PLAY WITH A DOG, I LIKE CATS, I\u2019M ACTUALLY ALLERGIC TO CATS. I GUESS I\u2019M A DOG PERSON. YEAH, I NEVER HAD CATS, BUT I\u2019M NOT OPPOSED TO IT. I COULD SEE MYSELF GETTING DOGS THOUGH. DOG GUY I\u2019M ALLERGIC TO CATS. DOG. I DON\u2019T LIKE CATS. DOG PERSON GOT A NEW CRIB, GOT SOME SPACE. DOG. DAD SUCKS. DOG. DAD. JJ SUCKS. WELCOME BACK EVERYBODY. THIS IS COUNTDOWN TO TIP OFF THAT JUST A LITTLE TASTE OF THE PERSONALITIES THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW. COVERING THIS TEAM AND THE WAY THIS TEAM MESHES, THE WAY THEIR PERSONALITIES GO TOGETHER. WHAT MAKES THIS TEAM SO SPECIAL? YEAH. HOW THEY ARE IN THE LOCKER ROOM, OFF THE FLOOR, ON THE FLOOR. IT\u2019S ALL IMPORTANT. THE CULTURE OF THIS TEAM HAS BEEN SO SPECIFICALLY BUILT BY THE FRONT OFFICE, AND GUYS LIKE JEFF WELTMAN AND JEFF THINKS THAT\u2019S WHY THIS CULTURE, THE WAY THEY WORK, THE CEILING IS SO MUCH HIGHER FOR THIS TEAM THAN WE\u2019VE SEEN YET. I\u2019M GOING TO START IN A DIFFERENT PLACE THIS YEAR. PATIENCE. THE PATIENCE TO MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE OR THE PATIENCE TO WAIT AND MAYBE NOT MAKE. HOW DIFFICULT IS PATIENCE WHEN YOU\u2019RE IN A SEASON LIKE THIS, WHEN YOU WANT TO BE A CONTENDER? I THINK THAT\u2019S, YOU KNOW, LIKE ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS OF TEAM BUILDING PATIENCE, DISCIPLINE, TIMING, RECOGNIZING WHEN YOU\u2019RE READY TO TAKE CERTAIN JUMPS. I HOPE WE\u2019VE MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. YOU KNOW, NOW. BUT THAT\u2019S WHY WE GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF GETTING A LOT OF YOUNG GUYS THAT WE BELIEVE IN AND DEVELOPING THEM. THAT DEVELOPMENT ASPECT. HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO PROJECT WHEN YOU\u2019RE SAYING, OH, WE\u2019RE GOING TO WE\u2019RE GOING TO SEE PAOLA TAKE THE NEXT DAY, WE\u2019RE GOING TO SEE FRANZ BE BETTER. WE\u2019RE NOT AT OUR BEST YET. HOW TOUGH IS THAT? I THINK AT THAT POINT YOU\u2019RE BETTING ON PEOPLE, AND THAT\u2019S WHAT WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO. WE LOOK AT THE PERSON AND, YOU KNOW, THERE\u2019S A BIG DIFFERENCE, I ALWAYS SAY, OF BEING A 22 YEAR OLD COMING BACK 23, OR A 28 YEAR OLD COMING BACK 29, WE EXPECT GROWTH AT THESE EARLY STAGES OF CAREER. IF YOU\u2019RE ABOUT THE RIGHT THINGS, YOU KNOW THAT\u2019S WHAT WE\u2019RE BETTING ON AND WE BELIEVE WE HAVE THE RIGHT GUYS TO BET ON. AND THAT\u2019S WHY WE\u2019RE EXCITED. HOW MUCH BETTER IS THIS TEAM NOW THAN THEY WERE A YEAR AGO? I THINK WE\u2019RE GOING TO BE A LOT BETTER, BUT WE HAVE TO EARN THAT. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THAT DOESN\u2019T MEAN ANYTHING. EVERY TEAM IN THE LEAGUE RIGHT NOW IS EXCITED ABOUT THEIR PROSPECTS. WE HAVE TO GO EARN IT. WE HAVE TO STACK DAYS. WE HAVE TO PUT THE WORK IN. WE HAVE TO STAY HEALTHY. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE LIFT ONE ANOTHER UP, AND HOPEFULLY WE RAMP UP AND ARE READY TO ATTACK WHEN IT MATTERS, YOU KNOW, IN THE SPRING AND THEN ENTERING THE PLAYOFFS, WE HEARD SOME DIFFERENT THINGS FROM YOU AT THE END OF THE SEASON THAT WE HADN\u2019T HEARD, AT LEAST IN RECENT YEARS, ABOUT CONTENDING. AND HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THAT? WE WANTED TO TURN THE CORNER. AND I DO THINK THAT WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS BE GOOD LISTENERS, OUR YOUNG PLAYERS, WE ARE HEARING FROM THEM LIKE WE\u2019RE READY INSTEAD OF LIKE RUNNING TWO RACES OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND WINNING GAMES. IF YOU CAN HELP US WIN, IF YOU\u2019RE THERE, YOU\u2019LL FIND YOUR WAY ONTO THE COURT THIS YEAR. IT\u2019S SOMETHING THAT YOU WORK TOWARDS. IT\u2019S ONE MORE STEP IN THE PROCESS TOWARDS TRYING TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP, AND WE\u2019RE EXCITED TO KIND OF BE AT THAT STEP NOW AS YOU SORT OF CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN, HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT, EVEN IF IT\u2019S THE SAME DISTANCE IN THEORY, HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT IS IT TO MAKE THAT STEP FORWARD WHEN YOU\u2019RE NOT AT THE BASE, STARTING THAT CLIMB, EVERY RUNG UP GETS HARDER TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP UP. NOW YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGHER THAT THE TEAMS THAT YOU\u2019RE SUPPOSED TO BEAT ARE BETTER, AND THEY\u2019VE PROBABLY BEEN THERE LONGER. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US. AND AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO CHARACTER, SACRIFICE AND TALENT AND FIT. AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT GROUP TO FIGURE IT OUT NOW. NOW IT\u2019S ON THEM TO FIGURE IT OUT FOR THIS YEAR TO BE A SUCCESS, WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN? WE NEED TO BE HEALTHY. I\u2019VE BEEN ASKED THE QUESTION A LOT. YOU KNOW, THE OPENNESS OF THE EAST. IS THAT WHY YOU KIND OF PUSHED YOUR CHIPS UP THIS YEAR? AND THE ANSWER IS NO, BECAUSE LIKE, THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE INJURIES. THE TEAMS THAT HAVE SUCCESS, THE TEAMS THAT HAVE DEEP PLAYOFF RUNS, THE FIRST THING THAT THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON IS HEALTH. AND SO THAT\u2019S THAT\u2019S MY BIGGEST WISH. BEYOND THAT, I\u2019LL BET ON US TO FIGURE IT OUT. AND THAT\u2019S EXACTLY WHAT THE MAGIC ARE DOING. THEY\u2019RE BETTING ON THIS GROUP TO FIGURE IT OUT. BUT YEAH, HEALTH A HUGE PART OF IT. WE SAW IT IN THE EAST ALL LAST YEAR, AND THIS YEAR IT\u2019S WIDE OPEN. AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE INJURY BUG IS GOING TO BITE YOU. SO I THINK IT\u2019S REALLY INTERESTING WHAT JEFF WELTMAN SAID THERE. HE\u2019S NOT LOOKING AT THE INJURIES. THEY\u2019RE GOING TO COME. THEY\u2019RE GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT HE\u2019S BETTING ON THIS TEAM TO ADJUST IF THEY DO. ALL RIGHT. LET\u2019S SEE WHAT HAPPENS COMING UP. WE STILL HAVE TO GET TO OUR BOLD PREDICTIONS. WHAT\u2019S GOING TO HAPPEN. 82 GAMES OF CHAOS AND A PLAYOFF SEASON AHEAD. WE ARE LIVE FROM THE ADVENTHEALTH TRAINING TRAINING CENTER IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. GETTING YOU SET FOR A NEW SEASON OF MAGIC BASKETBALL. WE\u2019LL BE RIGHT BACK. WELCOME BACK. LIVE TO THE ADVENTHEALTH TRAINING CENTER, DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. THE ORLANDO MAGIC GETTING SET FOR A NEW SEASON. KRISTEN, IF WE KNOW ANYTHING, IT\u2019S THAT AN 82 GAME SEASON IN THE PLAYOFFS IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE. SO WHAT BETTER WAY TO END THE SHOW THAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT\u2019S GOING TO HAPPEN? SO MY BOLD PREDICTION FOR THIS UPCOMING SEASON BEWARE OF PAOLO AND FRIENDS. THIS IS A MAGIC DUO THAT SET A RECORD 11 CONSECUTIVE GAMES, SCORING 20 PLUS POINTS LAST SEASON. IF THEY STAY HEALTHY, I THINK THE MAGIC GO FROM ZERO ALL STARS LAST YEAR TO TWO NEXT YEAR. THAT MAY NOT BE THAT BOLD. KRISTEN. I\u2019M JUST SAYING IT A LITTLE SAFE. I\u2019M GOING TO GO BOLD. I DON\u2019T KNOW IF I\u2019M SAFE SAYING THIS BECAUSE WE\u2019RE IN THE MAGIC PRACTICE FACILITY, BUT I THINK THEY\u2019RE GOING TO BE IN CONTENTION FOR THE EAST. I\u2019M GOING TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE RAT POISON, BUT I\u2019M ALSO GOING TO REIN IT BACK IN. I DON\u2019T THINK THIS IS THE YEAR THEY WIN THE FINALS. I DON\u2019T THINK THIS IS THE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, BUT I THINK WE\u2019RE REALLY CLOSE IN. A FEW THINGS FALL A CERTAIN WAY. I DON\u2019T THINK THEY\u2019RE GOING TO GET THE TOP SEED IN THE EAST, BUT I THINK THEY\u2019RE GOING TO BE RIGHT THERE. AND ONCE YOU GET INTO THE POSTSEASON RAIN ON THEIR PARADE, WELL, I SAID THEY\u2019RE GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS. THAT\u2019S PRETTY GOOD. 15 YEARS SINCE THE LAST PLAYOFF SERIES, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REAL EASY TO JUST SAY, HEY, THEY\u2019RE GOING TO WIN ONE PLAYOFF SERIES. YOU\u2019RE RIGHT, YOU\u2019RE RIGHT. I\u2019LL TAKE YOUR BOLD PREDICTION. ALL RIGHT. COMING UP, THE MAGIC TO MAKE THEIR RETURN TO THE WESH TWO AIRWAVES THIS SEASON THREE TIMES. AT THE VERY LEAST, WE WILL SEE THE MAGIC ON WESH TWO. ALL THREE ARE ROAD GAMES. AND WE WILL BRING YOU COUNTDOWN TO TIP OFF PREGAME SHOWS FROM ATLANTA, PHILADELPHIA AND CLEVELAND. THOSE DATES ON YOUR SCREEN. TUESDAYS ARE GOING TO BE FUN IN THE NEXT SEASON AHEAD. ALL RIGHT, KRISTEN, AS WE GET SET FOR A NEW SEASON ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW, THEY OPEN THE YEAR AT HOME AGAINST THE MIAMI HEAT. WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED TO SEE? I THINK JUST THE DESIRE TO WIN PLAY OUT ON THE COURT. I\u2019M INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE PUZZLE PIECES LOOK LIKE TOGETHER AND YOU KNOW WHAT TO SPEND TUESDAYS WITH. ALL OF YOU. CAN\u2019T WAIT TO SEE BANE TAKE THE FLOOR. I\u2019M JUST SAYING IT\u2019S GOING TO BE FUN. ALL RIGHT, FOR KRISTEN ZACH, OUR PHOTOJOURNALIST ON SCENE. EVERYBODY BACK IN WINTER PARK, THANKS FOR HANGING OUT WITH US. IT\u2019S BEEN TOUGH NOT TO TIP OFF. A NEW SEASON I\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Watch Countdown to Tip-Off | An Orlando Magic special from WESH 2 Sports<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\tUpdated: 8:14 PM EDT Oct 14, 2025\n\t\t<\/p>\n