LISTEN: Magic Rookie Paolo Banchero Describes Playing 'Powerful' LeBron James

LeBron James was the only player Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero may have been starstruck by while playing his first NBA season.

ORLANDO - Very little fazed Orlando Magic No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero in his rookie season.

Banchero's confidence and belief from him and his teammates helped his campaign towards Rookie of the Year while averaging 20 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists. During the season, Banchero felt he belonged in the league and he wasn't ever starstruck by his opposition, except for a game in late December against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Everybody was there to see him," Banchero said on The Woj Pod. "I didn't really realize how powerful his stardom was until you get up close and personal."

Banchero put up arguably his worst performance of the season against the Lakers that night, scoring four points in 22 minutes while battling foul trouble. Meanwhile, King James shined with a game-high 28 points in the Lakers' 129-110 victory.

Banchero's rookie season performance as a whole has been described to that of James, who posted averages of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 2003-04, eerily similar numbers to that of the Magic power forward.

Banchero hopes that he can be more like LeBron next season as he is in the thick of things in a second-round playoff series against the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

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You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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