Magic PF Paolo Banchero 'Hungry' For Rookie of the Year Since High School

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero is three games away from locking up the NBA Rookie of the Year award and checking one of his high school goals off the list.

Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero is three games away from finishing his case for Rookie of the Year, a goal he's had since his high school days.

"Got a list of goals in my phone I made when - like a junior or senior in high school," Banchero said on the Knuckleheads Podcast. "Just wrote down everything I could think of that I wanted to do in my career. You know, Rookie of the Year was one of them in the NBA. So I mean, that's something I've always had my eye on for a while and when you can say you set a goal and go out there and really do it, it just hits different when you've been eyeing it for a long time. And so, if I'm able to win man, it'll be just a testament to the hard work. Literally just being hungry."

Banchero took a leap in his junior year at O'Dea High School in Seattle, Wash., earning the state's Gatorade Player of the Year Award and followed that up with a senior season that garnered being named to the 2021 McDonald's All-American Game.

Therefore, the standout NBA wing had reason to believe he could achieve such an illustrious feat and is weeks away from seeing it become a reality.

Banchero averages 20 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game with the Magic and has stood out among his rookie peers all season long. He has regularly ranked atop the nba.com weekly rookie ladder and has Orlando happy about its future.

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.

Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.

Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.

Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.