Magic PF Paolo Banchero Has 'Loose Grip' on Rookie of the Year Award

The Rookie of the Year has appeared to belong to Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero all season long. But things could be changing.

Jeremy Brener | Mar 18, 2023

Magic PF Paolo Banchero Has 'Loose Grip' on Rookie of the Year Award /

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - All season long, No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero has dazzled for the Orlando Magic and has been the clear favorite to be the Rookie of the Year.

However, The Athletic says that he doesn't have the award wrapped up yet going into the final stretch of the season.

"Paolo Banchero remains No. 1, but he has company in the top tier, and his grip on the Rookie of the Year award is looser than ever," The Athletic writes. "He’s the top option on the Orlando Magic and undeniably deals with more defensive attention than any other rookie because of his polished offensive game. Having said that, Banchero’s production has tailed off in his last 20 games. He’s averaging just under 19 points while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 21.4 percent from 3, and he’s getting to the line slightly less often than he did early in the season. Because of that, his true shooting percentage over that time has dipped to 48.1, nearly 10 points below the league average."

His biggest competitor? Not Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, who has been the second-best rookie in terms of scoring averages at 16.6 points per game, but rather Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams, the No. 12 pick in the draft and the third selection made by the team.

"Jalen Williams is surging in his most recent 20 games, averaging 18.1 points while shooting 55.9 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from 3," The Athletic writes. "He has a 64.9 true shooting percentage in that time."

Williams has been fantastic, but his rise in the Rookie of the Year race has to do with his recent play, not the body of work shown over the season. Banchero has consistently been the league's best rookie, and his bar to perform is much higher than everyone else's. That should give him the inside path towards taking home some hardware at season's end.

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Published Mar 18, 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.