Yesterday the Orlando Magic looked within and named former NBA player Anthony Parker the team’s new GM.
Parker spent the last two seasons with the team as its assistant GM after returning to the team from a four-year tenure as the general manager of the Lakeland Magic (now Osceola Magic) of the NBA G League.
Prior to his G League appointment, Parker spent five years with the Magic (2012-17) as a scout.
“Anthony brings a unique perspective to our group as a former player and it has been great to watch his progression from player to scout to G League GM to the Magic’s assistant general manager,” said President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman. “Anthony is the ultimate team player and we look forward to his continued leadership, experience and energy.”
Parker, an Illinois native and older brother of basketball star Candace Parker, starred for Bradley University from 1993-97. He finished his career as one of only two players in school history, Hersey Hawkins being the other, to finish in the school’s top 10 all-time lists in scoring (1,683 points, eighth), assists (355, ninth), steals (159, seventh) and blocked shots (78, fifth).
Originally selected 21st overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by the then-New Jersey Nets, Parker played in the league for nine seasons with Philadelphia, Orlando, Toronto and Cleveland. He also spent six seasons in Europe- five in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv and one in Italy with Lottomatica Roma where he won both local titles and three European titles, respectively.
Parker also excelled in the classroom at Bradley. He was a two-time recipient of the Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. Scholarship, given annually to an African-American student who does outstanding work in the field of chemistry.
Now Anthony Parker is the GM of the team he played for in 1999.
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