Since joining the league in 1989, the Orlando Magic have reached the NBA Finals twice in their franchise history, 1995 and 2009. They were defeated on both occasions by the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers, respectively, to deny them a championship and keep them in the group of the 11 NBA teams that have never won a championship.
Despite these setbacks, Orlando has selected great talents in the NBA Draft that increased their title hopes and improved their place in NBA championship odds. These players have played an important role in leading the team to contention, thus helping the organization build its fanbase.
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard is first on the list of the best Orlando Magic draft picks. The 6-foot-10 center was selected as the first overall pick in 2004 and quickly established himself as the team's franchise player. He averaged a double-double of 12.0 points and 10.0 rebounds, along with 1.7 blocks, in his first season, good enough to be part of the 2005 All-Rookie 1st Team.
18-year-old Dwight Howard made his NBA debut 17 years ago today: 12 PTS, 10 REB, 4 BLK, 3 STL