Orlando Magic's Jamahl Mosley: Paolo Banchero Will Do 'Whatever's Necessary' to Help Team Win

Jamahl Mosley touted Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero's ability to help his teammates.

ORLANDO - For as good of a rookie year as Paolo Banchero had last season, that's not the first thing that pops into Jamahl Mosley's head when he talks about him. 

For the Orlando Magic head coach, Banchero's ability to help his teammates and do whatever it takes for the benefit of the team even on nights when isn't at his best. 

"I think Paolo is going to continue to do different aspects of the game and we've said this before about him, he's going to do whatever's necessary to help the team win and whether or not he's having an off shooting night, he's going to look to attack the basket and whether he's getting calls or not," Mosley said. "He's going to look to find his teammates when they do drop and sink in the paint."

Paolo Banchero is entering his second season with the Orlando Magic / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Banchero is coming off of a Rookie of the Year campaign that was one of the best in recent memory. He became the first rookie to average 20 points and over five rebounds a game since LeBron James in 2003. Banchero averaged 20 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 72 games in 2022-2023. 

The growth of the former No. 1 overall pick will be instrumental in determining the ceiling of Orlando. If Banchero can continue to improve, not only will he enter the conversation for one of the best players in the NBA but Orlando will find itself right in the thick of the playoff race. 

And if other pieces surrounding Banchero like Franz Wagner show some growth to their game, the sky could be the limit for a young Magic squad. 

Orlando kicks off its season on Wednesday when it hosts the Houston Rockets in its season-opener at Amway Center at 7 p.m.