Orlando Magic head coach Jamal Mosley recently said forward Paul Banchero is the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Carmelo Anthony combination.
“The game has changed a lot over the years as players have become more talented and have higher IQs, so you have to give the combinations,” Mosley told HoopsHype. “Paul is Carmelo , LeBron and Tatum. Different combinations of what they have. Passing skills. The ability to score in different areas. The strength that they have. Franz (Wagner)’s footwork is Chris A mixture of Middleton, Kawhi (Leonard) and Kevin Durant. These guys take a lot from each one. You don’t want to label them as this guy or that guy. They have every bit of it. A combination of abilities because they study the game and watch all these great players.”
Banchero was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft after playing one season of college basketball at Duke. He was arguably the best forward in the country during his time with the Blue Devils, averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 39 games (all starts) for the team in the 2021-22 season. Banchero’s shooting percentage is also impressive, as he shot 47.8% from the field.
The 6-foot-10 forward’s contributions should set up a hugely successful 2021-22 season for the Blue Devils. They finished the season with a 32-7 record and made it all the way to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to the University of North Carolina by a score of 81-77. Banchero scored a team-high 20 points in the loss and made eight of 17 field goals.
The 20-year-old spent one season with the NBA’s Magic. In the 2022-23 regular season (all starts), he played 72 games on behalf of Orlando, averaging 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.8 steals per game. As a rookie, Banchero got to the free throw line with an impressive frequency, averaging 7.4 attempts and 5.5 attempts per game.
Those numbers were enough to earn Banchero the Rookie of the Year award, joining Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, Benedict Maturin of the Indiana Pacers, and Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings. All-Rookie first team. and Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It is hoped that Banchero will perform better in the 2023-24 regular season following his excellent performance in the 2022-23 regular season. For him, the possibility of being selected as an All-Star in his sophomore season is very high.