It was a night to remember on Wednesday for Orlando Magic phenom Paolo Banchero, who became the first rookie since LeBron James to post at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in his NBA debut.
While the Magic lost a nailbiter, Banchero was honored to be in The King's company, saying it “means a lot”, via Bleacher Report.
But, there was visible frustration on his face, despite showing out for 27 points, nine boards, and five dimes. The game ended 113-109 in favor of Detroit and Paolo Banchero did everything he could to help his team get a win.
The first overall pick in the 2022 draft, Banchero completely lived up to expectations. The ex-Duke star was bullying around the Pistons, using his strong frame to get to the cup and finish consistently. He even put Cory Joseph on a poster with a vicious dunk at one point:
Banchero looks like a full-grown man out there. Banchero truly did all of his damage inside, going 11 for 18 from the field and 5 for 7 from the charity stripe. He didn't attempt a single three-pointer but as we know, he's capable of hitting triples, too.
It's also important to note that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the only other player aside from Paolo Banchero and LeBron to put up this type of stat line in their first NBA outing:
A sign of what's to come for Banchero? It could be. With a promising core of Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, and Banchero, there is a reason for optimism in Orlando for the first time in many years.
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