Orlando Magic’s Channing Frye: ‘I like being the underdog’
The Orlando Magic surprised many when they signed big man Channing Frye away from the Phoenix Suns. It was a little less surprising when it was revealed Frye signed a four-year, $32 million deal.
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Frye is joining a team that has won just 43 games over the last few years but that is just fine with him.
“I like being the underdog,” Frye said via Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders. “I think that no matter how good we were in Phoenix in 2010 they thought we were going to be 11th in the West and we ended up going to the Western Conference Finals so all of that stuff really doesn’t matter to me. I feel like you’re not in our locker room, you’re not out here working, you’re not watching us play all of the time and you’re not seeing our development. Do I think that there are teams that are better prepared to make the playoff push? Yeah, but I think Washington has made moves, Cleveland has made moves and Chicago has made moves but I also feel like we’ve made moves to be one of those teams that can compete with anyone.”
That’s probably a good thing because Frye’s Magic will likely be an underdog in most games this season.
Frye averaged 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 43.2% from the floor, 37.0% from beyond the arc and 82.1% from the charity stripe last season. In his career, he has put up 9.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 44.3% from the floor, 38.5% from three and 81.5% from the foul line over the course of his eight-year career.
Frye has played for the Suns, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers. He was selected by the Knicks with the eighth-overall pick in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft.
Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league as we get you ready for the start of the 2014-2015 season.
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