Like most young basketball players, Izaiyah Nelson dreamed of one day playing in the NBA.
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But the opportunity to play for the franchise located in the same city that his great grandma lived in and he visited often in his childhood?
Not even Nelson could have envisioned that outcome.
“It was very emotional,” Nelson said recently about the moment he was drafted No. 51 overall by the Magic last month. “Having them pick and me coming here as a kid growing up all the time, it was just like, ‘Dang, I’m actually playing for the Orlando Magic.’
“I would have never thought this dream would come true,” he added.
The 6-foot-10 forward will rep the Magic for the first time this week at Summer League in Las Vegas, which Orlando opens Thursday night against the Hornets.
Magic Summer League coach DJ Bakker recently shared what stands out to him about Nelson, who ended his college career at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
“First of all, his competitiveness and his motor are off the charts,” Bakker said. “(He’s) always talking, always asking questions (and has) great eye contact. (He’s a) great screener (and) loves physicality. When a player has that type of a makeup and that type of a DNA, you feel comfortable going into battle with them.
“Like all rookies, we’re learning terminology, we’re learning style of play and what that looks like,” Bakker added. “But (I’m) really impressed with who he is as a human being and his DNA and makeup as a player.”
In one season at USF, Nelson helped the Bulls men’s basketball program return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. He was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, the AAC Defensive Player of the Year and the AAC Newcomer of the Year after transferring from Arkansas State.
And he didn’t earn those accolades by accident.
The Marietta, Ga., native takes pride in his work ethic and the fact that it was brought up regularly on draft night.
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“I take a lot of pride in it because in the game of basketball, you have to work,” Nelson said. “If you’re not working, you don’t love the game. And one thing about me, I love basketball. I’m going to do anything to continue to play basketball for the rest of the my life.”
That commitment will be necessary to extend his pro career because he only signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Magic as a late second-round pick, a type of deal that’s common for players selected in that part of the draft.
Nelson is joined by center Colin Castleton and forward Alex Morales as Orlando’s three two-way players. On a two-way deal, players go between the NBA and the G League, but they’re limited to being active for just 50 NBA games and can’t play in the playoffs.
That disadvantage only drives Nelson to one day earn a standard NBA contract.
“It definitely does make me a lot more hungry,” he said of his two-way contract. “It’s nothing new to me. I’ve always been (overlooked) so it’s just like, ‘Why let this two-way stop me now?’ Once it’s my opportunity, I know what I can do. … When I have the opportunity, I’m going to show everybody why I should be in the NBA.”
His first chance to show why he believes he belongs in the league comes out west in Las Vegas.
While new Magic coach Sean Sweeney isn’t coaching the Summer League squad, he’s had conversations with the second-round pick, sharing with Nelson what he wants to see from him while he’s on the court.
“Just going out there, not trying to be somebody that I’m not,” Nelson said. “I know what I came here for, I know why they picked me and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to do everything. All of the little things. Everybody that nobody wanted to do — I’m out there doing it.
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“I’m going to just show everybody who I am.”
Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]