The Orlando Magic only have one player on the roster that is over 30 years old and Utah Jazz fans know that player very well.
Joe Ingles , at 36 years old, joined the Magic in free agency. The Orlando front office and coaching staff made it clear to Ingles that he would play a different role than he was used to but sold him on the idea of mentoring the youthful roster.
Ingles has been pleasantly surprised with how much fun he's having as the most seasoned veteran on the Magic squad, and head coach Jamahl Mosley is overjoyed with the honesty and maturity that Ingles brings to the team.
"The thing about Joe is that when you see him as you're coaching against him, he's probably telling you the exact same thing when you're coaching him, just in a different tone, and even some days it's not the nice tone," Mosley said with a laugh. "You know what you're getting, because he's going to tell you the truth, whether you like it or not."
At the tail end of his NBA career, Ingles was realistic with what his role was going to be when he went to Orlando. He knew he wouldn't be playing a lot of minutes, he knew he likely wasn't going to start games, but most importantly he knew that he was wanted and that the Magic valued him.
"Everyone has been fantastic and I'm having a great time," Ingles said. "It's been really nice and I'm happy."
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Part of what Mosley is hoping he can teach the young players is what it takes to have longevity in the NBA — and not just the stuff that happens on the hardwood. Mosley wants Ingles to show his younger teammates that how you treat people matters, the respect you have for the game matters, and that fun matters.
Mosley wanted all of that, but he wanted it to come from a place of authenticity. Well, lucky for Mosley, Ingles doesn't know how to do things any other way.
"He just, he's him, and I think that's the best thing that I can say," Mosley said. "There's no fluff, it's not fake, he's gonna show up 100% authentic to who he is and I love that about him. And our guys love that about him. He's changing our locker room with his maturity — not just because of his age — but because of how he approaches the game as a professional."
Orlando Magic guard Joe Ingles brings the ball up court during a game against the Utah Jazz Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, in Salt Lake City. | Rick Bowmer, Associated Press
