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Noah Penda Suffers Brutal Injury Ahead of Second Season With Orlando Magic
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- Noah Penda Suffers Brutal Injury Ahead of Second Season With Orlando Magic
(Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)
Orlando Magic forward Noah Penda exited Friday's preseason game against the Miami Heat with right hamstring tightness, according the Orlando Sentinel. Penda left the game in the first quarter and did not return. His status moving forward remains uncertain as the Magic continue to evaluate the injury.
According to the latest report, Penda partially tore his right hamstring during Friday's game. While the injury involves the same leg as his training camp issue, it affects a different part of the hamstring. His previous injury had fully healed.
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This is tough news for Penda, who was expected to step into a larger role for the Magic entering his second season. His ability to defend positions one through five, along with his playmaking on the perimeter, made him an appealing option as Orlando wrapped up its preseason schedule.
Penda and Jase Richardson are entering their second seasons with expectations of becoming greater contributors for the Magic. However, Orlando dealt with an injury scare in its final preseason game against Miami, as Richardson and star forward Franz Wagner also exited early.
The setback is especially frustrating for Penda after the work he put in throughout the offseason to prepare for a bigger role. As he discussed during Magic media day.
From my previous article on Penda: Orlando Magic's Noah Penda Reflects on 'Longest Offseason' Of Career
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On his offseason transformation and focus areas
Penda described the offseason as the longest of his life , giving him several months to reflect on his rookie season and prepare for Year 2. After spending two weeks in France with his family, he returned to Orlando to work with the coaching staff ahead of Summer League while also bringing in a chef to help improve his diet.
His two main goals were preparing his body for the upcoming season and improving his shooting. Penda spent hours in the gym each day working on those areas, describing the process as a step-by-step journey that came with frustrating moments. He was pleased with what he showed during Summer League and continued working on his conditioning after a brief trip back to France. Returning to Orlando about a month and a half ago, he began familiarizing himself with the new coaching staff and playbook while preparing for his second NBA season.
On the motivation behind trimming down and losing weight
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Penda said his decision to lose weight came from reflecting on his rookie season and recognizing the importance of maintaining the right pace throughout an NBA season. Although he had previously wanted to shed some pounds, seeing young players leave teams or get traded before completing their rookie contracts made him realize how quickly an NBA career can change.
That realization motivated him to address his conditioning early in his career rather than put it off. Penda wants to maintain those improvements throughout his time in the league and avoid wasting opportunities to develop while he is still young.
On conversations with head coach Sean Sweeney regarding his role
Penda said he met with Sweeney before Summer League and had several conversations with the new head coach about his expected role. He appreciated Sweeney's approach to player development, particularly the idea that roles aren't fixed and can evolve throughout the season.
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Sweeney outlined an initial set of expectations while emphasizing that the coaching staff would continue helping Penda work toward his goals. Penda said he values the opportunity to grow without being limited by a predetermined ceiling, with the understanding that his responsibilities could change as he develops and earns new opportunities.
