Paolo Banchero has only 5 NBA matches in the legs, but we have already understood. The Magic has been looking for a franchise player since the departure of Dwight Howard and he may have finally found him. Nikola Vucevic was magnificent during his years in Florida and he didn’t steal his All-Star Game selections, but in terms of radiance and potential, “Vooch” arguably has more of the profile of a luxury lieutenant as we seen today in Chicago. The Floridians tried to hit the mark in the Draft, with Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon, I am Bamba, Jonathan Isaac or Jalen Suggsbut this is probably the first time that we’ve felt that something really special has happened with a Magic lottery pick since the end of the D12 era.
However, Orlando lost its first 5 matches. But in these seasons of transition and development – not to say tanking – the important thing is to see a hard core forming and players showing that they can embody the project. For the young and hard core there is already a tremor, with the excellent Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr, Cole Anthony and, if health permits, Was Was. For the player capable of being the figurehead, Banchero made everyone agree.
This may seem early, especially since we sometimes praised players prematurely before seeing them crash at the first difficulty. But the difficulties are already there, since the former Dukie is asked to be the n°1 offensive option of a team which will most certainly occupy one of the last places in the East and, presumably of all the league. Some of Orlando’s opponents, including the Celtics and Jayson Tatum, have already given him a hard time by treating him like a veteran who is left with little room for maneuver.
The copies rendered by Draft 2022 #1 are quite striking. Banchero showed confidence, efficiency, playmaking and even the desire to be more of an added value in defense. Judge instead.
Against Detroit: 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks
Facing Atlanta: 20 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal
Against Boston: 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block
Facing New York: 21 points, 4 rebonds, 2 passes
Against Cleveland: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal
Paolo Banchero continued his historically impressive rookie campaign dropping 29 PTS for the @OrlandoMagic!@Pp_doesit: 29 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/0YTddwTNft
— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2022
Paolo Banchero darkens the stats sheet, but also and above all manages to make his presence felt. He already knows that he is being watched and studied by the opposition, with as much attention as he experienced at university. During his only season with Duke, Coach K’s last, the American-Italian was constantly targeted by opponents, which did not prevent him from taking the Blue Devils to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, with a place in the best five of the Tournament.
As 1st pick and big favorite for the title of Rookie of the Year, Banchero knows he is being scrutinized. Being the flavor of the moment and almost a fairground phenomenon, he is used to it.
“I love Duke, but sometimes you were almost made to feel like a zoo animal. In class, people whisper regarding you and stare at you. I caught several filming me, m My classmates started dragging their families up to my room and knocking on my door at all times.
I opened on Sunday morning and there was a mother, a father and their daughter, educated at Duke, who just wanted to say hi to me”, he explained in the podcast of RJ Hampton.
In Orlando and around the league, fans are likely to gather more and more to interact with Paolo Banchero. His immediate impact allowed him to achieve the third longest series of 20-point matches for a Draft number 1, in the footsteps of Elvin Hayes and Oscar Robertson. For the moment, the statistics do not matter to him. Rather than congratulating himself on his 29 points once morest the Cavs, the interested party thus declared to the press following the game:
“I’m playing well, but it doesn’t translate into wins. So I can’t be satisfied.”
Son coach, Jamahl Mosleyis obviously a fan of this approach.
“Paolo is humble, solid, confident in his abilities, with a high basketball IQ and the will to learn. He has all that, in addition to this humility. I think it’s huge. He has adapted here like if it was part of the furniture”.
This will probably be the case in a few years, if its emergence and that of its Magic partners takes place well in synergy. Paolo Banchero has everything to be one of the faces of the NBA for many years.
