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Magic Execs Plan To Visit VazquezDave Twardzik and Otis Smith, co-assistant general managers of the Orlando Magic, are expected to leave for Spain on Monday morning, hoping for a face-to-face meeting and a possible change of heart with first-round draft pick Fran Vazquez. The Magic used the No. 11 pick in last month's NBA draft to select Vazquez, a 6-foot-10 power forward. They were confident they could sign him for this season. Vazquez was equally confident about joining the team when he visited Orlando the day following the draft, which he attended with the other top picks in New York. Vazquez, though, stunned the Magic and his American agent this week by telling reporters in Spain that he would play at least another season in Europe before joining the NBA. By drafting him, the Magic retain his NBA rights indefinitely. "Should we have sent someone to live with him following the draft? I don't know," Magic President Bob Vander Weide said Friday. "Right now, we need to build a relationship with this kid, extend an extra hand." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Vazquez Chooses Europe Over OrlandoIt appears that the Orlando Magic's first-round draft pick will be spending at least the next two seasons overseas. Forward Fran Vazquez, who the Magic selected 11th overall in the June Draft, had showed no signs of wavering on his decision to come to the NBA but it sounds like he will play with Real Madrid next season. "I've said `no,' because I was afraid to adapt to the American way of life, and of not giving the level they have asked,'' Vazquez told the Spanish newspaper Malaga hoy today. "I'm not a coward, but I prefer to stay in Spain, progress, and who knows? Maybe jump to the NBA in a few years.'' The Magic were surprised but are not giving up hope on Vacquez playing for them this coming season. "Yes, we're a little surprised,'' said Dave Twardzik, Magic co-general manager who had seen Vazquez play six different times in Europe. "The message we've been getting all along -- before the draft, after the draft -- was that he was excited about playing here. He said it was his dream to play in the NBA. I don't know (what changed his mind).'' "When you draft an international player, something like this is always possible. We talked about it before the draft,'' Twardzik said. "It's something he has to figure out now, if it's what he wants to do.'' The Magic hope to talk with Vacquez and if he has not already signed a contract, it is possible they can still sway him to sign with them. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Magic Dispute Report Of Vazquez Staying In SpainThe Orlando Magic late Wednesday disputed a report out of Spain, which had stated that its first round choice in the 2005 Draft, the 11th overall pick Fran Vazquez could be close to signing a two year contract with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid. The report was published on AS.com, but it did not cite the source. "We fully expect him to be in our training camp this fall," said Scott Herring, Magic director of basketball administration. "We've been in contact with his agent almost daily, and we've heard nothing that would lead us in that direction. That would be 180 degrees different from what we've been hearing." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Magic Jul 2005 Archive
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