ProFusion’s Strengths Should Make Him Perfect Fit in Orlando

NEW YORK – Alex “ProFusion” Snowden proved to be one of the big steals of the inaugural NBA 2K League Draft after Celtics Crossover Gaming chose him 67th overall in 2018.

Based on the reaction from broadcasters, current players, other draftees and fans of the league, it sounds very possible the Bellevue, Washington native will turn out to be one of the big steals of the 2020 draft, too, following Magic Gaming’s decision to make him the 35th overall pick.

Another individual confident ProFusion will make a huge splash in Orlando is ProFusion himself. Elated when he heard his name called, the now former Celtic is eager to showcase his abilities with his new squad and help them compete for a championship.

“I think this is a good steal for the Magic and it worked out for me too because this is where I wanted to be also,” he said. “This is going to be a great environment and I’m ready.”

Orlando’s head coach, Jonah Edwards, has wanted ProFusion, who averaged 16.6 points in the regular season last year with Boston, ever since he was Dallas’ coach. The Celtics not protecting him over the offseason and him dropping to the middle of the second round made him available for the Magic to select, which led to jubilation inside the team’s draft war room.

“He was in my opinion one of the best sharps (sharpshooter) in the league the last two years,” Edwards said. “I actually really wanted him Season One really, really bad in the draft and he was two picks shy of us, so he’s someone I’ve always wanted around on one of my rosters and we found a way to get him. The guys (Magic players) are super excited. I’m really excited. He’s exactly the guy we wanted.”

NBA 2K League play-by-play man Scott Cole, who hosted Saturday’s draft from Terminal 5 in New York City, concurred with Edwards’ opinion, saying during the telecast “this is one of the best shooters in the draft.”

Shooting has always been something ProFusion has excelled at – both virtually and on the actual hardwood. He was a shooting guard on his varsity high school basketball team, so he knows a thing or two about putting the ball in the basket, especially from 3-point range.

In Boston, where he played and started in 16 games a year ago, the now three-year 2K League veteran shot nearly 54 percent from beyond the arc during the regular season. He was also one of the league’s top performers during the Tip Off Tournament, averaging 20.0 points per game that opening week.

Wondering how well he will fit next to his new Magic teammates? It shouldn’t be a huge adjustment considering the familiarity is already there. ProFusion and Brandon “ToXsiK” Raudenbush, one of three players the Magic retained from last season’s squad, are close personal friends and the strengths Orlando’s other three players have, including last year’s Rookie of the Year, Brendan “Reizey” Hill, should allow ProFusion to thrive in Edwards’ system.

“We go way back,” ToXsiK said. “It’s crazy that we actually got our guy. He fits in right away with our personalities. We need to fill that role with someone that we can trust and we knew he is a good shooter and he fits right in with that. We’re ecstatic. We can’t wait to get him here and get to work.”

ProFusion had one of the best weeks by any player last season when on back-to-back nights he erupted for 35 points against Warriors Gaming Squad and 30 against Mavs Gaming. In those two games combined, he shot 26-of-29 from the field and 13-of-15 from 3-point distance.

Already experienced playing alongside one elite point guard in Albano “oFAB” Thomallari, the Magic’s new addition should have no problem meshing with another one in Reizey, who like oFAB was one of the league’s MVP finalists last year.

“From a culture standpoint he’s going to fit right in and then from a gameplay standpoint he’s going to be (just) as good of a fit,” Edwards said.