Magic's Paolo Banchero Playing Center in Orlando?

Paolo Banchero could play center for the Orlando Magic in his second NBA season.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 25, 2023

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - With a full NBA season under his belt, Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero is gaining his footing in the league.

After a stellar Rookie of the Year campaign, Banchero went on to play with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup where he was one of the team's tallest players. At 6-10, Banchero often played power forward with the Magic's big lineup. However, with Team USA, Banchero was often asked to play center.

“One of the things we really found in [2021] in the Tokyo Olympics was having a 5 who can push the ball and transition and create plays is very difficult for FIBA teams to handle," Team USA coach Steve Kerr said. "So he can play some 4, as he showed, but he’ll play plenty of 5, as well.”

Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero posting up against Phoenix Suns forward Ishmail Wainwright / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Now with some experience playing center under his belt, coach Jamahl Mosley hasn't ruled out a similar role for him on the Magic.

"He’s trying to win, whether that’s playing the five, four, three, two, or one," Mosley said on the HoopsHype Podcast. "He’s about winning and about helping achieve greatness not just on an individual level but on the team scale."

The machinations of the Magic's frontcourt likely won't ask Banchero to play center very often, but if injuries come about with Wendell Carter Jr., Moe Wagner and/or Goga Bitadze, perhaps Orlando could count on its franchise cornerstone to be the man in the middle.

Banchero and the Magic returns to training camp on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Published Sep 25, 2023

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.