The season ended, but the NBA does not rest and the Draft to choose the best young players in the country took place, and it was a success for some teams that were looking for what they need to reinforce and improve their lines. The first pick was Italian-American Paolo Banchero who was selected by the Orlando Magic who finished last place in their conference and see in the wing as someone who can help them get out of their slump, as they can build a franchise around him.
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The Italian Hope
Paolo Banchero was born in Seattle in 2002 and has sports in his veins. His mother played in the WNBA and his father played professional soccer in the United States. He was an athlete since school, he was on the track and field team and on the soccer team. He was so talented that he could have shined in football because he was a spectacular quarterback and several scouts saw NFL potential in him. But his destiny was the NBA.
At Duke University, he confirmed what everyone knew, he was the best college player of the moment. His NCAA career was not as extensive because he decided to be eligible to play in the NBA after only one season. Although he was born in the United States, he has Italian nationality and has played for the national team in international tournaments. Italian basketball has with Paolo Banchero a figure that can help them achieve important things.
With the Azzurri he went to EuroBasket 2022 but did not play, the team is taking it calmly and does not want to put pressure on the young man who has it very clear. His dream is to succeed with Italy. He already missed the pre-Olympic because of the pandemic, but he knows that the time to succeed with the “squadra azzurra” will come sooner rather than later.
For now, he has to focus 100 percent with Orlando, which has been a while without achieving something important and fill the shoes of Dwight Howard, who left in 2012 and was the best player on the team.
Orlando’s savior?
Paolo Banchero is already under pressure as the last two times Orlando selected first in the draft they took Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Webber, who ended up being traded for Penny Hardaway. The youngster comes to a team that is not playing well and is going to have a hard time adjusting. The NBA is not the same as playing in college, the game is faster and stronger. The Magic doesn’t want to waste any more time and surely with the team, Paolo will be important from day one.
Kissy e-wallet Paolo’s strengths is his ability to anticipate everything that happens, something he learned playing football as a quarterback. He reads teams very well and can find solutions inside the field very quickly. That makes him an excellent passer, and his teammates will have many opportunities to score because of him.
He will be an important offensive weapon, more than his physical strength and shooting, his intelligence is what completely convinced Orlando to incorporate the Italian in their ranks. They know that he can be that general on the court that organizes the team that frankly sometimes seems lost in the games. His strong character will also help him avoid the frustration he will surely suffer when things don’t work out. He won’t immediately be the leader of the team, but he will get a lot of minutes. His agility in the paint and dribbling is impressive for his height.
His mid-range shooting is excellent and his style of play is perfectly suited to the NBA because of his physical characteristics, but that doesn’t mean he’s perfect. He still has things to work on, like his long distance shooting.
If you take Banchero away from the game, and he has to resort to long distance, he suffers a lot because it is one of the weak aspects of his game. He will have to improve as the NBA already relies a lot on long shots.
Also, a weakness he has, but can improve, is his shot selection under pressure. He is a very good passer, but when he is under a lot of pressure instead of setting up a teammate, he usually chooses to shoot and his percentage under pressure is 34% effective. When he plays loose he is one of the most decisive on the court, but NBA pressure is strong, defenses are more physical and much more sticky, so he will have to work hard to raise the level in that aspect of his game.
That’s another of Paolo’s strengths. His work ethic. If he knows something is wrong, he doesn’t rest until he gets it right and that’s why Orlando, knowing his weaknesses, didn’t hesitate to take him, knowing he will work on polishing all aspects of his game.
The Magic have been drifting aimlessly for some time now. They have not won a conference title since 2009 and obviously the team does not want to remain in mediocrity. Paolo Banchero already has a responsibility because he was entrusted to be the first pick in the draft. Now he has to work to prove himself and make Orlando a competitive team again. Will he succeed? It is too early to say. But what is a fact is that the young talent will give a lot to talk about in the NBA.
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