ORLANDO -- Paolo Banchero was picked first overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2022 NBA Draft for all sorts of reasons.
For one, he was probably the best all-around offensive player in the draft, although as time evolves, who knows which players will make the biggest strides. Also, because of his size and strength, especially at just 19 years old, he has the potential to be a stout defender, despite some feeling before the draft that this would be one of his weaknesses.
Friday’s performance in Dallas, in which he scored 19 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out one assist and collected one steal in 22 minutes, was his best so far this preseason. Let’s take a closer look at the things he did well, what he needs to improve, and what is still uncertain about his game.
It was obvious during summer league that the 6-foot-10, 255-pounder was going to muscle his way to the free throw line quite frequently in the NBA. He’s only going to get stronger as his body develops, which is quite scary for opponents.
Having played football growing up in addition to basketball, Banchero is unafraid of some contact and has no problem playing physical. Early in his freshman year at O’Dea High School in Seattle, as he grew to 6’7, 6’8 at the time, he made the decision to focus exclusively on basketball. But that football mindset has stayed with him on the hardwood.
He senses, too, that this Magic team as a whole has a football-esque mentality, in how physical and aggressive they are.
“We got a bunch of big, strong guys – from the one through the five,” he said. “I think we are able to play physical, but we also can play fast or more finesse as well. I think we can go both ways.”
Without question, his defensive effort has been way better than advertised. Deflecting passes is something he’s likely going to do a lot of. This seems to tie in with his high basketball IQ and ability to anticipate what’s coming next.
Banchero was very iso-heavy at Duke last season. He admits he’s still learning the nuances of pick-and-roll offense, which is prevalent in the NBA. But when he gets a matchup he likes, he’s tough to stop.
Another one of his glaring strengths is his footwork. Two of his buckets against the Mavs accentuated his patience and craftiness on the low block.
Like Magic teammate Franz Wagner, he’s very good moving without the ball. He has a knack for seeing holes in the defense.
The most fascinating aspect of this Magic team – short term and long term – is how position-less they truly are. We could see Banchero and Wagner play some “point guard” in situations. Both are already in the “point forward” category because of their supreme vision, instincts, and passing abilities.
As you probably would have guessed, Banchero was a quarterback when he played football, so making reads on the fly is something he’s familiar with.
“Anticipating, trying to think one play ahead, reading the defense, reading the guy you’re trying to throw the ball to, trying to see whether you have to lead him or throw it more on time (and) on target,” he said.
Arguably the biggest key, though, for Banchero is his shooting touch. How efficient will he be shooting the ball from different ranges? The great scorers not only find ways to create space off the dribble, but they can make shots from different angles and with defenders draped all over them.
One of the things Banchero does lack is speed. He’s not going to just blow by defenders off the dribble, which makes it even more important for him to shoot mid-range and long-ball shots at a decent clip. Volume factors in as well. If you look at Jayson Tatum’s shooting percentages, for example, they’re not that impressive. But he’s such an amazing shot creator that defenders just can’t prevent him from getting to his spots. The reason Kevin Durant is arguably the best pure scorer in the game is that he does both at an extraordinary level. Not only is he a phenomenal shot creator, but he makes shots at an extremely high rate, even if he doesn’t sneak away from defenders.
Important is that Banchero has gotten better in each of Orlando’s first three preseason games. He’s looked more comfortable, more poised, and has been effective no matter who he’s been on the floor with.
“Every game so far I feel I have made a huge step,” he said. “That’s really encouraging for me because I’m going out there not trying to force or press. I’m usually letting the game come to me, so the more comfortable I get, the more natural it starts to feel. A lot of it is just me staying under control and doing what I know how to do. When I’m not thinking and playing more instinctive, I play a lot better. So (I’m going to) continue to do that.”