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Cole Anthony is having a very good start to the season as the Orlando Magic's sixth man. However, Anthony had a hilarious "Shaqtin" moment on Sunday night against the LA Lakers. Known for his hops despite his small stature, it was shocking to see Anthony miss a wide-open dunk attempt.
Two minutes into the second quarter, Joe Ingles found a running Anthony open on the fastbreak. Ingles executed a perfect bounce pass to the 23-year-old guard, who only needed to make the easy basket.
Anthony had several options, as he was a former Slam Dunk Contest participant. He didn't go for a windmill slam or a powerful tomahawk dunk but a simple jam. However, he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to just lay it up, but the ball just stayed on the rim before falling back in to Christian Wood's hands.
The LA Lakers announcers were surprised to see Cole Anthony miss the dunk attempt. It was a hilarious moment as the Lakers maintained their 11-point lead at that point. Anthony should expect his botch to possibly make it to the first "Shaqtin' a Fool" of the season.
"Shaqtin' a Fool" is one of the highlight reels most NBA players don't want to be a part of. Andre Drummond of the Chicago Bulls is the reigning 2022-23 Shaqtin' MVP. Anthony has a shot to win Shaqtin' of the week and be a finalist later in the season.
Cole Anthony could be a contender for Sixth Man of the Year this season
Cole Anthony signed a three-year, $39 million contract extension with the Orlando Magic before the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. It looks like a bargain deal already despite the small sample size.
Anthony is averaging 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in the Magic's first two games of the season. He's the team's sixth man, and his scoring ability can help the team throughout the campaign.
It won't be surprising to see if Anthony's odds of winning the award increase as the season wears on. He fits the mold of high-scoring guards off the bench like Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford.
With Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs occupying the starting guard spots for the Magic, Anthony is in his perfect role. The Magic would not be signing him to an extension if they don't believe in his ability and that he will fit their roster.
