Kings rookie Marvin Bagley III expected to return from knee injury to face Orlando

Rookie big man Marvin Bagley has been cleared to return from a knee injury and is expected to play when the Kings host the Orlando Magic on Monday night at Golden 1 Center.

Bagley has missed 11 games because of a bone bruise in his right knee, an injury he sustained in a loss to the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 14. The Kings (19-20) have missed Bagley’s athleticism, rebounding and ability to score around the basket. They went 4-7 in his absence, losing four in a row and five of their last six.

“I’m feeling good,” Bagley told The Bee. “The last couple of days, I had good workouts, playing 3-on-3 and 4-on-4, a lot of getting up and down. I’m just itching to get back out there. I can’t wait.”

Bagley, the No. 2 pick in June’s NBA Draft, has appeared in 26 games, all as a backup, averaging 12.7 points and 6.1 rebounds. Bagley has made tremendous strides after struggling at times during summer league and preseason games, earning coach Dave Joerger’s praise for his rapid improvement and emerging as a key member of the team’s rotation.

The 19-year-old power forward made just 30 of 67 field-goal attempts in six preseason games, shooting 44.7 percent. In his last 10 games before the injury, he made 21 of 29 field-goal attempts, shooting 72.4 percent while averaging 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds.

Bagley said he has been working to strengthen his quadriceps and other muscles in his legs. He has been practicing for the past week in preparation for his return.

“I definitely want to be out there with my teammates, but at the same time, I feel like everything happens for a reason,” Bagley said. “During this time, I’ve been learning a lot and watching and figuring out how to get my body stronger. This time has been very needed. I’ve been taking advantage of every opportunity that I’ve had to get stronger and I can’t wait to get back out there with my teammates.”

This story was originally published January 7, 2019 at 1:43 PM.