The Orlando Magic have officially confirmed the signing of center Wendell Carter Jr. to a contract extension, as announced by President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman.
Carter Jr., who stands at 6’10” and weighs 262 pounds, played in 55 games last season, starting 48 of them. He averaged 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in approximately 25.6 minutes of play. His shooting was particularly noteworthy, with a field goal percentage of .525 (223-425) and a three-point shooting percentage of .374 (64-171). Over the course of the season, he led or shared the lead for the team in scoring twice, in rebounding 26 times, and in assists once. Carter Jr. scored in double figures on 28 occasions and surpassed 20 points three times, with a season-high of 25 points achieved against Philadelphia on January 19. Additionally, he recorded 10 or more rebounds in 10 games and achieved nine double-doubles. In the postseason, Carter Jr. participated in seven games (five as a starter), averaging 7.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists over 26.4 minutes per contest.
Carter Jr. was selected seventh overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. Throughout his career with both the Bulls and the Magic, he has played in 315 regular-season games, with 294 starts. He boasts averages of 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of .517 (1,497-2,893). The Magic acquired him from the Bulls along with Otto Porter Jr. and two future first-round draft picks in exchange for Al-Farouq Aminu and Nikola Vučević on March 25, 2021.
Image Source: Wendell Carter Jr. @ Instagram