Magic's Paolo Banchero Back on Court as Return Process Begins: 'I'm Feeling Good'

After the team's defeat of the Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic third-year All-Star forward Paolo Banchero told reporters in the locker room Sunday evening he's in the preliminary stages of his return from a torn right oblique he suffered Oct. 30 at Chicago.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) celebrates after a basket against the Indiana Pacers in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The calendar flipped to December on Sunday, marking entrance into the year's final month and the Orlando Magic's trek into a second one without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero.

A day after the Magic's loss at Chicago on Oct. 30, the former No. 1 overall pick was revealed to have torn his right oblique during the contest. Since then, the sidelined third-year pro has been doing everything he can to stay involved with the team while out of action.

The team initially said Banchero would be re-evaluated four-to-six weeks from his diagnosis and a return to play would depend on how his body responded to treatment in recovery. But when Banchero was seen very lightly stretching during the team's shootaround before Orlando's Nov. 27 game at home – the first time since the injury he'd been seen participating in any sort of activity – Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said Banchero was balancing his "hunger" to get back on the court with an understanding of all it would take for him to get back on the floor.

After all, he's been durable throughout his career before this injury – missing just 12 games in his first two NBA seasons and none during his lone season at Duke. Both he and Orlando knew his process back to full health would require patience. However, Banchero said Sunday evening that, on this five-game road trip, he's making his first steps of progress toward an eventual return.

"I'm feeling good, man," Banchero told Magic on SI and the Orlando Sentinel in the team's locker room Sunday. "I finally got to do some court stuff on this trip at practice – some ball handling, some spot shooting. It felt really good just to do that stuff again because I literally hadn't done anything in a month. It was my first time really getting to dribble a ball, shoot a ball, so [it] felt really good doing that.

"Obviously wasn't any sprinting or cutting or anything, but hopefully in the next few weeks, I can start getting into more of that and just work my way back into playing shape," Banchero added.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) looks on from the team bench during the second quarter of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Before the injury, Banchero's year was off to a flying start. Through five games, he averaged 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists on 49.5 FG% and 34.4 3PT% shooting splits. The 6-10 forward became just the fourth Magic player ever to score 50 points in a game, and at just 21 years-351 days old, he was the youngest in franchise history to do so.

He was the NBA's Rookie of the Year in 2023 and a first-time All-Star in 2024, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists over a single season.

While early returns suggested a potential All-NBA campaign could be in the works for the now-22-year-old this season, he'll fail to meet the 65-game requirement to be considered for end-of-year honors such as Most Valuable Player, All-NBA teams and others.

Sunday's absence was his 17th due to injury, meaning that if Banchero was healthy, he'd need to play every single game the rest of the regular season to reach that benchmark. When he misses his 18th game as the Magic take on the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, that ruling will become official.

Even in Banchero's absence, Orlando has stayed in the Eastern Conference fight. After the initial shellshock of losing Banchero resulted in four straight losses, the Magic have since won 12 of 13 games. They sit 15-7 and third in the East. Dating back to Nov. 1, Orlando's first game without Banchero, they own the NBA's fifth-best winning percentage (.706).

The entire Magic team has been forced to step up its production, and no one has answered that call more than Franz Wagner. The fourth-year forward assumed the No. 1 option role without his frontcourt mate on the floor, a shift he's handled well and his teammates are praising him for.

In the Magic's 17 games without Banchero, he's averaged 25.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists. During this stint, Wagner has won the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award and has been nominated for it three other times.

"He's really just stepped up to the plate," Banchero said of Wagner Sunday night. "You can see him just getting more and more comfortable. I think he really understood what had to be done with his role being increased and he's, every game, just being really consistent with his leadership [and] his output. The team knows what he's going to do night in and night out; they know how he's going to play [and] what shots he's going to take. They know he's going to make the right play every time.

"So yeah, it's been awesome to watch him and the rest of the team. We're on a hell of a run right now, and it's fun," Banchero added.

Upon Banchero's welcome return to the floor, Orlando may need another period of adjustment as it acclimates back to life with both stars at full health. In a monthly player diary he's participating in with Andscape, Banchero told Marc Spears that he felt he could be back by Christmas.

Whether that comes to fruition is yet to be seen, as no official update has come from the team regarding Banchero's possible return timetable.

According to Banchero himself, however, the preliminary steps of the process are underway.

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