Magic Set for Preseason Opener at Home Against Cleveland

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic are returning to the Kia Center on Tuesday, October 13, opening their home preseason schedule against the Cleveland Cavaliers, with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. ET. The matchup marks the preseason debut for new head coach Sean Sweeney, who takes the reins after being hired this offseason.

Sweeney has spent the past several weeks laying the foundation for his vision with the team, and the NBA Summer League gave fans an early glimpse of the culture he’s building, one rooted in what he’s described as character, competition, connection, and love of the game. Fans can revisit that Summer League feature here: Orlando Magic Already Establishing Culture and Identity at NBA Summer League.

(Image: Sean Sweeney, Orlando Magic Head Coach, courtesy FOX 35 Orlando)

Tuesday’s preseason opener gives fans their first looks at a roster built around All-Star Paolo Banchero,  alongside Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Desmond Bane, as this core group begins its work under Sweeney’s system. It’s an exciting early measure for the team against a familiar Eastern Conference opponent, the Cavaliers, and a great opportunity for fans to see the team’s returning core take the stage together at the Kia Center.

(Image: Kia Center, home of the Orlando Magic, courtesy of Itinerant Fan)

The preseason opener will also be fans first chance this season to experience the full Kia Center atmosphere, from the game presentation to the fan-favorite return of the team’s TikTok-famous fight song after every basket run and exciting moments. For the fans who can’t make it in person, the Magic’s social channels will carry extensive coverage throughout the night: @OrlandoMagic on X.

Tickets for Tuesday’s game against Cleveland, along with the second home preseason matchup on Friday, October 16 against the Miami Heat, are available now through the team’s official website. Full ticket and event details can be found in the team’s official preseason announcement: Orlando Magic Announce Two Home Preseason Games for 2026.

With training camp beginning September 29th at the AdventHealth Training Center, the Magic are excited to bring this new chapter to the Kia Center and share it with all of the fans who help make Orlando basketball special. We hope to see you there!

His name is Ryan Rusinko, he typically goes by Ry or Ryanko. He was born in Fort Myers, Florida on January 27th 2005. When he was a child he wanted to be a stock broker and he lived all throughout his life in Cape Coral, Florida. His favorite hobby is to research stocks on yahoo finance and his favorite travel destination would be his home country, Slovakia. Ryan is currently unmarried as he is 21 years old, but plans on getting married in the future. He has no children and owns no pets, although he had a dog around 3 years ago, a cocker spaniel named Maya. Ryan isn’t a sports fan, and follows no ty`pical sport. He is passionate about being financially independent and being scholarly in his endeavours, i.e stock research, engineering, etc. He does not at the moment volunteer, but for FGCU’s service learning hours requirement, he volunteered at his high school, Oasis Charter High School. 

Ryan went to FGCU to pursue his bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in International Business. He graduated in 2025, but was expected to graduate in 2027, graduating early by 2 years. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and knew he wanted to pursue a business degree due to his parents’ business influence. He belonged to no extracurricular activities, was attached to no professional organizations, and acted independently in his studies. What drew him to college was his high school physics teacher that convinced him to go in his senior year. He applied only to FGCU, got accepted, and that’s where he attended for the two years he was present at FGCU. During this time he had no internships at any local businesses, and chose solely to focus on his degree.

Currently, Ryan works at a local restaurant chain called Deep Lagoon. This is where Ryan has worked for the past 3 years, and continues to do so. He plans on leaving Deep Lagoon to pursue something more than himself, stating that he wants to pursue another sales job or potentially diverting himself into life insurance sales to provide him with a more stable job.