One of Duke prodigy has quietly emerged as one of the NBA’s rising stars in recent years. Despite the Orlando Magic dealing with numerous injuries and setbacks this season, he played a pivotal role in leading them to a seventh-place finish in the Eastern Conference, earning them the No. 7 seed in the playoffs.
On Tuesday, the Magic cruised to a 120-95 win over the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament. While he shot just 4-of-13 from the field, he still made a strong impact with nine rebounds and seven assists.
Throughout the regular season, he averaged 25.9 points per game—placing him in elite company. He’s now only the third player in franchise history, alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Tracy McGrady (both Hall of Famers), to average at least 25 points over a full season.
His college team, Duke, celebrated the achievement by reposting the Magic’s announcement on social media.
Though not the most efficient shooter for a big man, he has become a dominant interior scorer and has broadened his overall game, averaging 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season.
He’s taken the lead on a Magic team that has become a serious contender in the East by relying on tough defense, a slower pace, and aggressive rim protection.
During the regular season, the Magic topped the league with 6.0 blocks per game, with he contributing 0.6 blocks per contest.
Back in his lone year at Duke, he averaged 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds, earned All-ACC First Team honors, and was named ACC Rookie of the Year.
Paolo Banchero is indeed built for greatness.
Leave a Reply