The Magic Insider

Magic Rookie Paolo Banchero Nominated for NBA Award

Paolo Banchero averaged 23.6 points in three wins this week for the Orlando Magic.

Jeremy Brener

Magic Rookie Paolo Banchero Nominated for NBA Award
Magic Rookie Paolo Banchero Nominated for NBA Award /

ORLANDO - Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero is beginning to get some positive attention from critics around the country.

The No. 1 overall pick received his first nomination for Eastern Conference Player of the Week, according to a press release from the NBA.

This week, Banchero helped lead the Magic to an unblemished 3-0 record, beating the Atlanta Hawks at home and the Boston Celtics twice on the road. He averaged 23.6 points per game this past week, extending his streak of 20+ point performances to seven, including a 31-point showing in Sunday's win against the Celtics.

While the award was ultimately handed out to Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell in the Eastern Conference and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic was named the Western Conference winner, Banchero becomes the first rookie this season to be considered for the honor.

The only two rookies to win a Player of the Week Award in NBA history are Philadelphia 76ers point guard Michael Carter-Williams in 2013 (who also played for the Magic from 2019-21) and Shaquille O'Neal, who won the award while playing for Orlando back in 1992.

Banchero will look to continue his strong rookie campaign tonight against the Atlanta Hawks. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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Jeremy Brener
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.

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