Rookie of the Year Odds: Magic's Banchero the Favorite?

Rookie of the Year?

Jeremy Brener | Jun 24, 2022

Rookie of the Year Odds: Magic's Banchero the Favorite? /

ORLANDO - Despite not being the favorite to go first in the NBA Draft, Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero is the favorite to be the Rookie of the Year.

According to betonline.ag, Banchero is listed as the odds-on favorite to take home the most prestigious rookie honor with +300 odds.

Jabari Smith Jr., who went No. 3 to the Houston Rockets, is second in the running with +350 odds, while Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren comes in third with +550 odds.

In 36 career games at Duke last season, Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals. Banchero took home ACC Rookie of the Year and First-Team All-ACC honors following his lone campaign at Duke.

Banchero's one-and-done season at Duke showcased just how spectacular he could be as a prototype forward in the league.

For a team that ranked second worst in the NBA in scoring, Banchero would be given the green light with the Magic to create offense off the dribble.

Despite shooting a subpar 33.8 percent from three while at Duke, he still has the mechanics and ability to be an elite scorer from all three levels.

On top of his ability to put the ball in the basket, Banchero is also an underrated facilitator, whether that be in the open court after grabbing a defensive rebound, or in half-court offensive sets, he has the vision and basketball IQ to be a five assist caliber player.

The all-around offensive game that Banchero provides will be valuable to the Magic and could be the tools he needs to claim the Rookie of the Year award.

Published Jun 24, 2022

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.