Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero is giving praise to one of the NBA's best young big men ahead of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday. Banchero is giving a shout out to San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama.
"I'm definitely looking forward to it. I love playing against great players and that dude is a 1-of -1 type of player… Playing him the first time, I really didn't want to go in there for layups. Over the years, I'm gonna have to find ways to maneuver and get around."
Paolo… pic.twitter.com/uPV5rYfijf
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 18, 2024
“Playing him the first time, I really didn't want to go in there for layups. Over the years, I'm gonna have to find ways to maneuver and get around,” Banchero said.
The two young stars both competed during All-Star Weekend in the Rising Stars event on Friday. Wembanyama and Banchero's teams didn't play each other, but the two have faced off against one another in the regular season. Wembanyama praised Banchero following Friday's festivities, and now Banchero is paying the favor back.
The Magic's Banchero is having an All-Star Weekend to remember. The young forward is on the Eastern Conference roster for Sunday's All-Star game, as a reserve. On the season, Banchero is averaging 23 points and 7 rebounds a game for the Magic. Orlando is currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a 30-25 record.
In his rookie season in the NBA, Wembanyama is also making his presence known. He's in the running for the Rookie of the Year award, and he leads the league in blocked shots per game. Wembanyama has become the new face of the San Antonio Spurs franchise despite being a rookie. He's not a member of Sunday's lineup for the Western Conference, but one can't help but feel that it's just a matter of time before the Spurs' big man makes an All-Star roster.
The NBA All-Star contest tips off at 8:00 Eastern Sunday night.
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