Paolo Banchero, a rookie with the Orlando Magic, possesses confidence in spades. That much was abundantly obvious as he discussed his performance in advance of their Saturday matchup with the Boston Celtics.
Banchero discussed what his greatest strength as a player is during an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio. It’s interesting that he said his adaptability, not his refined attacking talents, is what makes him special.
“With or without the ball, there is no place on the court where I cannot feel at ease. It can fluctuate from night to night. I’ll play a game where all I do is rebound the ball nonstop. I might have a game where I’m just on fire and score 20 points in the first half. Then there can be a game where I’m just being a monster on defence, finding teammates, getting assists, and creating for them because my shots aren’t falling. So, I believe I am capable of doing a lot of things, Banchero said.
Although Paolo Banchero seems to be exaggerating here, the top choice in the 2022 Draft has been practising what he preaches. Prior to Saturday, he had played in two games and had averages of 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks.
That versatility—and more—is undoubtedly being displayed by the Magic rookie. The Magic’s first two games were losses, but Banchero has truly stood out as he has shown he is more than just a scorer.
While there will undoubtedly be times when Banchero struggles to put the ball in the hoop, Orlando will be expecting to see him play frequently. At least he knows he can do much more to contribute.
“There is nowhere I can be at on the court where I’m not comfortable.”@Pp_doesit says his biggest strength is his versatility.
Hear Paolo Banchero and the @OrlandoMagic face the Celtics right now on NBA Radio https://t.co/AYipQpeyBw pic.twitter.com/230VtBbPo1
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) October 22, 2022
The article Paolo Banchero sends a stern message to the NBA, energising Magic supporters first appeared on ClutchPoints.