'Chip on My Shoulder': Magic No. 1 Pick Paolo Banchero Sounds Off on Summer League

Despite being the No. 1 pick, Paolo Banchero has his fair share of doubters.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 12, 2022

'Chip on My Shoulder': Magic No. 1 Pick Paolo Banchero Sounds Off on Summer League /

ORLANDO - Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero walked into Las Vegas Summer League with a target on his back. As the No. 1 pick, the entire draft class is looking to prove why people were wrong when the Magic took him with the top pick.

The No. 1 pick status is something Banchero doesn't take lightly.

"I'm going to get everybody's best shot," Banchero told ESPN's Malika Andrews. "But I'm going to give them my best shot as well."

“I have a chip on my shoulder … I just want to go out there and prove why I’m the No. 1 pick every game.”

Banchero still doesn't forget the fact that many critics ruled him out as a possibility for the top pick when the Magic won the draft lottery in favor of Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr.

But Banchero proved why the Magic made the choice they did in his limited Summer League run. Orlando went 2-0 in the games Banchero played in, and he looked like a man amongst boys while on the court.

Banchero averaged 20 points, five rebounds and six assists during the first two games of the Magic's Summer League run. The team opted to shut him down after the second game after he was seen limping in the aftermath of Saturday's win against the Sacramento Kings.

Now that Banchero's Summer League is over, he can turn his focus to getting into peak physical shape for training camp in September as he embarks on his first NBA season.

Published Jul 12, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.