The Orlando Magic have selected their center of the future.
Seeking to upgrade their rim protection, the Magic selected Mohamed Bamba sixth overall Thursday night in the 2018 NBA draft.
Bamba, a 7-footer, fits the profile of a modern-day center.
He averaged 12.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game during his one-and-done season at the University of Texas, and he possesses quick enough feet to be able to switch onto small players when opponents set screens.
He shot a modest 27.5 percent from 3-point range on 14-of-51 shooting beyond the arc.
Bamba will go to a Magic franchise that has missed the playoffs for six straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in team history.
The Magic have an established center, Nikola Vucevic, who has been the team's starter at the position since he was acquired in the 2012 trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers. Vucevic is a gifted all-around offensive player, but he doesn't discourage opponents from driving to the hoop.
Vucevic has only one more season remaining on his contract, the 2018-19 season.
Orlando went 25-57 in 2017-18.
One day after the season ended, Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman fired the team's coach, Frank Vogel.
A search for Vogel's replacement ended with the hiring of former Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford.
Clifford inherits a team with no clear star.
Forward Aaron Gordon will become a restricted free agent on July 1, but the Magic seem likely to match any offer sheet Gordon might sign from another team.
Weltman drafted forward Jonathan Isaac with the sixth overall pick in 2017, but a variety of injuries limited Isaac to playing in just 27 games as a rookie.
Weltman and general manager John Hammond regard Gordon, Isaac and now Bamba as the Magic's key building blocks for the years ahead.
The Magic drafted Bamba after the Phoenix Suns selected Deandre Ayton, the Sacramento Kings picked Marvin Bagley III, the Atlanta Hawks chose Luka Doncic, the Memphis Grizzlies took Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Dallas Mavericks tapped Trae Young. The Hawks and Mavericks agreed to swap Doncic and Young, with the Mavericks sending the Hawks a future first-round pick.
Those selections left Orlando with a choice between Duke big man Wendell Carter Jr., Kentucky point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kentucky forward Kevin Knox, Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr. and Alabama point guard Collin Sexton.
Bamba was the choice.
With an NBA draft combine-record wingspan of 7-feet-10-inches, Bamba should immediately upgrade the Magic's interior defense.
