clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Twitter reacts to the Orlando Magic drafting Paolo Banchero

A surprise pick by the Magic led to chaos on social media

2022 NBA Draft Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Think of what it would have been like on Twitter back in 2004 when the Orlando Magic had the first pick in the draft.

Most tweets probably wouldn’t have been very complimentary after the Magic selected a lanky high school kid named Dwight Howard over UConn’s national-championship-winning center Emeka Okafor. We all know how that turned out.

The Magic made another surprise selection with the No. 1 pick on Thursday, taking Duke’s Paolo Banchero when nearly all experts and mock drafts had them going with Auburn’s Jabari Smith. That led to a a wild night on social media, with Woj backtracking on his previous tweet about Smith headed to Orlando being “firm.” Many on Magic Twitter celebrating the pick while others near and far called for the firing of Jeff Weltman.

As the 2004 draft, and many others before and after it, have shown us, it’s mostly a crapshoot. And how these players develop over the next few years will make most tweets look idiotic, and perhaps some prophetic.

Here are some standout tweets from the start of the Paolo Banchero era in Orlando. As always, the tweets speak for themselves....


OPP “Twitter reacts...” Archive

Twitter reacts to the Magic winning the NBA Draft Lottery

Twitter reacts to the Magic parting ways with Steve Clifford

Twitter reacts to the dismantling of the Orlando Magic

Twitter reacts to the Magic drafting Cole Anthony

Twitter reacts to Dwight Howard winning a championship

Twitter reacts to the return of Jonathan Isaac

Twitter reacts to the Magic’s cameo on “The Last Dance”

Twitter reacts to Aaron Gordon losing the Dunk Contest

Twitter reacts to the Magic’s win over the Lakers

Twitter reacts to Markelle Fultz scoring a career-high

Twitter reacts to the return of Markelle Fultz

Twitter reacts to the Magic’s Game 1 win over the Raptors

Twitter reacts to the Magic making the playoffs

Twitter reacts to the Markelle Fultz trade

Twitter reacts to Nikola Vucevic making the All-Star team

Twitter reacts to the Magic drafting Mo Bamba

Twitter reacts to the Magic hiring Steve Clifford

Twitter reacts to Frank Vogel getting fired

Twitter reacts to the Magic re-signing Aaron Gordon

Twitter reacts to Elfrid Payton’s return to Orlando