Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero is already getting used to the NBA after a fantastic season at Duke, where he ended up being the number one overall pick in the 2022 draft. One of the reasons Banchero was top dog is because of his versatile skill set and physicality.
While he's going through some learning curves early on in the preseason, Banchero sees his ability to use his size and strength as a huge plus moving forward. Via The Athletic:
“Just being able to use my size and length to my advantage,” Paolo Banchero explained. “In college, I feel like it’s a lot slower, more methodical. So you have to be more locked-in in terms of sets and where players are moving. In the NBA, I feel like it gives you a little more opportunity to use your athletic ability on the defensive, so I like it so far.”
Banchero is coming off his best preseason outing yet, leading all Orlando scorers with 19 points in just 21 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks. He's also very excited to be one of the primary ball handlers for the Magic as the first-year forward eyes ROTY:
“There’s gonna be a lot of opportunities for me right there,” Banchero said of having the ball in his hands. “I just have to be more decisive than I was in that first game against Memphis, that’s the one thing that I could have done a lot better. Realize that me being aggressive, me getting all the way to the rim or taking the shot is the first option and then making a read if it’s not there is the second option. Once I become more decisive and more aggressive, it’ll come together how coach sees it.”
There will surely be trials and tribulations for Paolo Banchero in Year 1, but there is a reason he went No. 1. The ex-Blue Devil is built for the Association and has all the attributes to be a future star. He'll certainly have every chance to do so in Orlando.
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