Orlando Magic First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Desmond Bane scored the Magic’s first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 25 times in 88 starts, or 28% of the games they started. Wendell Carter Jr. was next with 19. The Magic made the game’s first field goal in 57% of their 88 games and won 72% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2025-26 game (1,225 regular season, 85 playoffs, 6 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Magic in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any ORL player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for ORL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desmond Bane | 88 | 25 | 28% | 11 | 12% |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | 84 | 19 | 23% | 14 | 17% |
| Paolo Banchero | 78 | 12 | 15% | 7 | 9% |
| Jalen Suggs | 64 | 11 | 17% | 8 | 12% |
| Tristan da Silva | 34 | 7 | 21% | 2 | 6% |
| Franz Wagner | 36 | 6 | 17% | 4 | 11% |
| Anthony Black | 37 | 5 | 14% | 2 | 5% |
| Tyus Jones | 8 | 1 | 12% | 1 | 12% |
| Noah Penda | 2 | 1 | 50% | 1 | 50% |
| Orlando Robinson | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Magic scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 88 | 50 | 57% |
| Home | 44 | 26 | 59% |
| Away | 44 | 24 | 55% |
| Regular season | 79 | 45 | 57% |
| Play-in | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Playoffs | 7 | 3 | 43% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wendell Carter Jr. | 81 | 58 | 72% |
| Goga Bitadze | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| Paolo Banchero | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Orlando Robinson | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 86 | 62 | 72% |
How the Magic’s first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pointer | 31 | 35% |
| Layup | 27 | 31% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 23 | 26% |
| Dunk | 7 | 8% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for ORL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franz Wagner | 66 | 20 | 30% | 9 | 14% |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 83 | 20 | 24% | 9 | 11% |
| Paolo Banchero | 52 | 13 | 25% | 5 | 10% |
| Wendell Carter Jr. | 57 | 9 | 16% | 7 | 12% |
| Goga Bitadze | 42 | 8 | 19% | 4 | 10% |
| Jalen Suggs | 35 | 5 | 14% | 4 | 11% |
| Cory Joseph | 22 | 4 | 18% | 1 | 5% |
| Tristan da Silva | 38 | 4 | 11% | 0 | 0% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Magic?
Desmond Bane, with 25 of the Magic’s first baskets in 2025-26 (28% of their 88 starts), ahead of Wendell Carter Jr. with 19.
How often do the Magic score first?
The Magic made the first field goal in 50 of 88 games in 2025-26 (57%): 59% at home and 55% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Magic?
Wendell Carter Jr. took 81 of the Magic’s 86 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 72% of them.
Is Desmond Bane a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 28% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every NBA game; see NBA first basket picks.
Source: NBA play-by-play and box scores, 2025-26. Updated October 13, 2026. See the NBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.