EWU's Tyler Harvey drafted by Orlando Magic

After performing his magic act at Reese Court in the past three seasons, the transition from Eagle to a member of the Orlando Magic has begun for former Eastern Washington University men's basketball player Tyler Harvey.

The former Eagle sharpshooter was selected by Orlando in the second round as the 51st pick overall of the National Basketball Association Draft June 25 in Brooklyn, N.Y. He elected to skip his senior season at Eastern for the chance to play in the NBA, and it appears his gamble has paid off by becoming just the third Eagle in school history to be drafted.

Since declaring for the draft on April 1, Harvey had workouts with many NBA teams, but never with the Magic. But management of the last-place finishers in the NBA's Eastern Conference and Southeastern Division saw things they liked.

"(He's) an interesting guy," Magic general manager Rob Hennigan told the Orlando Sentinel. "A very proven shooter, a very capable offensive player. He has a really good feel for the game. I think [he's] just a pretty sophisticated offensive player and someone who we feel has a chance to make our team because of that."

From walk-on at EWU to NBA draft pick, few knew Harvey better the past few seasons than did Eagles' head coach Jim Hayford.

"I am very happy for Tyler," Hayford said. "He has worked so hard, and I know as he learns about the next level he will work only harder."

Orlando finished last in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the 2014-15 season, closing the year 25-57. The Magic drafted another shooting guard in the first round - 6-foot-8 Mario Hezonja from FC Barcelona Basquet in Spain.

After a redshirt season and playing sparingly in EWU's first 13 games, Harvey was a high-scoring mainstay for the Eagles in the final 71 games of his 84-game career. Harvey led NCAA Division I in scoring, averaging 23.1 points per game and 3-pointers made per game (4) in the 2014-15 season.

Former Eagle Rodney Stuckey, who recently concluded his eighth season in the NBA, was drafted 15th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2007.

Ron Cox is the only other NBA draftee from Eastern. He was a sixth-round draft choice by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1977, but did not play in a regular season NBA game because of reconstructive surgery on his left ankle.

Harvey is the first Big Sky Conference draft choice since Weber State's Damian Lillard was selected sixth overall by the Portland Trailblazers in the first round in 2012.