Rookie Spotlight: Paolo Banchero Dominates in Rookie Debut

The No. 1 overall pick looks like a future star for the Orlando Magic.

Being the top overall pick in any draft comes with great responsibility. After being taken No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2022 NBA Draft, Paolo Banchero has high expectations.

The Duke product had a fantastic NBA Summer League campaign, but was somewhat inconsistent in the preseason.

Regardless, Banchero was set to make his NBA regular season debut on Wednesday evening. In a game against the Detroit Pistons that featured the top pick from the 2021 NBA Draft in Cade Cunningham along with two lottery rookies from this class, Banchero was the best player on the floor all night.

🚨PAOLO POSTER🚨 @OrlandoMagic | #MagicTogether pic.twitter.com/QxUfU7JtlR

— Bally Sports Florida & Bally Sports Sun (@BallySportsFL) October 20, 2022

He finished the game with 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Banchero was incredibly efficient as well, shooting 11-of-18 (61.1%) from the floor. Defensively, the 6-foot-10 forward blocked two shots as well in his debut.

This was the first debut game since LeBron James in which a player produced at least 25 points, five assists and five boards. At just 19 years old, Banchero is already making history.

Since 1969, only three No. 1 overall picks have dropped 25+ PTS, 5+ REB, and 5+ AST in their NBA debut.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
LeBron James
Paolo Banchero pic.twitter.com/IFmdWyBUT0

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) October 20, 2022

Banchero’s night started off quick, as he scored six of the team’s first eight points in the opening three minutes of the game. Despite the league being perimeter-oriented, he did his work in the paint and midrange, scoring all of his points without taking a triple. With that in mind, he’s got the ability to space the floor which we will see plenty of this season.

While Orlando fell shot to Detroit by a final score of 109-113, Magic fans should feel great about the future of the franchise. While the roster has been loaded with young talent for a few years now, Orlando had been lacking number one guy.

A true alpha, Banchero is here to answer the call.

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