Magic Legend Dennis Scott Has Paolo Banchero Request: 'Take Care of Him!'
ORLANDO - Only 16 people in Orlando Magic franchise history have made the All-Rookie First Team. The first was Dennis Scott in 1991 ... the latest was Paolo Banchero in 2023.
Now in his second season, Banchero is taking another stride after making the All-Star team. Scott may have been on his way to that trajectory, but he suffered an injury early on in his second season that knocked him out for the year.
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That following offseason, the Magic drafted Shaquille O'Neal and Scott reverted to a complementary role. But with Orlando on the come-up, Scott pleaded to the franchise who drafted him with a simple request.
"Please take care of Paolo because he's a real good kid," Scott said. "He wants to win. He wants to do the right things. Sometimes he's over unselfish. I think he should have shot a little bit more but now he's been taught the right way. So he's over unselfish. I just hope you all take good care of him."
Scott and Banchero were working on a segment for television at the end of the Magic's practice on Monday afternoon, and you can sense a particular pride when the 3-D talks about Paolo.
Maybe it stems from similar upbringings in the NBA or the "Magic brotherhood," but Scott has been around the league for 30+ years, and his analysis on Banchero should be a look into the crystal ball that Orlando is in very good hands moving forward.
The Magic are back in action tomorrow night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
