Shocking as North Carolina Tar Heels Men’s Basketball Star Terminated His $95 Million Contract with…
Cole Anthony, a guard for the Orlando Magic and former standout player for UNC basketball, has agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract deal, according to a Monday afternoon report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Anthony played in the league for three seasons and made a total of $10.3 million. He is expected to earn $5.5 million this season.
This season’s finish would have made him a restricted free agent, but the All-ACC player for 2019–20 is now signed through 2026–2027.
Following the former top-five recruit’s one-and-done UNC basketball season, Anthony was selected by the Magic with the 15th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. In his pro career, Anthony has averaged 14.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. With 172 NBA games under his belt, he has shot 41.1 percent from the field, 34.5 percent from three, and 86.1 percent from the free throw line.
Anthony is one of numerous young players the team is developing and growing around, as ESPN’s Tim Bontemps pointed out:
“He’s part of a burgeoning core in Orlando that includes reigning Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner…center Wendell Carter Jr., guards Jalen Suggs and Markelle Fultz, and a pair of lottery picks from this year’s draft, guards Anthony Black and Jett Howard.”
The Magic and Cole Anthony, the son of former NBA point guard Greg Anthony, will play the Houston Rockets at home on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET to begin their 2023–24 regular season.
The only former Tar Heel on the Magic roster is Anthony, a 23-year-old.
Orlando went 29-28 after starting the season 5-20, but ended the previous season with a 34-48 record and 13th place in the Eastern Conference rankings.
