Orlando Magic PF Paolo Banchero Reveals Rookie Year Challenge

Paolo Banchero ran away with Rookie of the Year Honors last season, but the Orlando Magic star had some bumps in the road.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 5, 2023

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - Orlando Magic reigning Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero seemed to cruise through his award-winning season. However, it wasn't all perfect.

Banchero seemed to adjust to life in the NBA pretty quickly, posting record numbers in his first game in the league. He scored 27 points while grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out five assists in his NBA debut and went from there.

While it seemed easy on the surface, there were challenges the No. 1 overall pick was facing as the season went on.

Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero / USA Today Sports

"The traveling and all the other stuff that goes into play NBA season," Banchero said. "I think this year, I'm a lot more prepared for it. Last year kind of, you know, hit me like a bus I think midway through the year just traveled catching up the lack of sleep and stuff like that. So now I know how to handle it. I know what to expect. And I think I'll be much better at doing that."

Knowing Banchero has another level to reach is great news for the Magic. As the team's No. 1 pick a year ago, he's been tabbed as the face of the franchise and the potential player to push Orlando to new heights. If he's able to continue adapting to life in the NBA and improve his game, the Magic's ceiling will rise.

A lot of the players on the Magic's roster have been speaking highly about its growth this offseason, giving fans hope for the future of the franchise. That, combined with the breakout year that Banchero seems to be set up for this season, could lead to the Magic making more noise than expected.

Published Oct 5, 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.