Magic Forward Paolo Banchero Off to Historic Start, But Rookie Believes There's More to Come

Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero is posting historic numbers through his first seven NBA games. What's next for the No. 1 overall pick?

Jeremy Brener | Oct 29, 2022

Magic Forward Paolo Banchero Off to Historic Start, But Rookie Believes There's More to Come /

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - A 19-year old walks into the room with a cup of ice cream in his hand, just like many teenagers around the world. But for Paolo Banchero, what he's doing is anything but ordinary for the Orlando Magic.

The No. 1 overall pick scored 21 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and notched seven assists in the Magic's 113-93 win against the Charlotte Hornets Friday night and made history in the process.

Banchero is just the third No. 1 overall pick in NBA history to score 20 or more points in each of his first six games, joining Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain (56) and Oscar Robertson (6) on the list.

Banchero is doing things the NBA hasn't seen before. He's building a strong case to be the league's Rookie of the Year already, but Banchero is still just 19 and has yet to reach his personal peak.

"I still don't feel like I'm all the way there in terms of really slowing down to where I'm on an elite, elite level, but I can definitely feel myself improving every game," Banchero said.

It should be expected for Banchero to continue to grow considering he's one of the league's youngest players. And if Banchero still has more in the tank on top of what he's already shown in the first chapter of his NBA career, the rest of the league should be scared.

The Magic is back in action Sunday night when it faces Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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Published Oct 29, 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.