Speaking to Stephen A. Smith in a recent interview, the new Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero made a few interesting claims. The interview spanned a range of topics, with Smith eventually asking Banchero about the kind of experience he has had at the franchise, as well as the city of Orlando.
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The 21-year-old, who has been averaging 21 points per game this season, claimed that it was simply a blessing to be part of the Orlando Magic. Banchero stated that the fans of the Magic have a passion for the game that really makes him eager to perform for the city of Orlando. He also named the Magic legends who he believes have shaped the culture and the legacy of the relatively new NBA franchise.
“It’s a blessing to be here, you know? …seeing just how passionate the fans are obviously like you said, you know, Penny, Shaq, Tracy McGrady, Dwight Howard, those are guys who, you know, made the Orlando Magic into what they were, they shaped the franchise,” Banchero said, giving his flowers to some of the greatest stars the city of Orlando has ever seen.
The young star then proceeded to lay out some expansive goals for the future, claiming that he one day hopes to land the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship.
“So just following those guys, you wanna take after them, and then you wanna, hopefully, reach greater heights. Obviously, the city does not have a championship. That is something that I, one day, you know, hope to bring,” he added.
The Orlando Magic was a brand new franchise when they drafted Shaquille O’Neal in 1992. The Diesel immediately put the organization on the map with his meteoric rise in the NBA. Shaq led the Magic to their first ever NBA Finals in 1995, a remarkable feat considering the fact that Orlando had never won a playoff game before in their history. Stars like Penny Hardaway, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady further added to the franchise’s illustrious history.
Banchero also claimed that the passion and excitement shown by the fans has been palpable in recent months. “You wanna do your best for these fans because they deserve it, and you can just feel it, with the excitement, how it’s building, and I really just appreciate just being here,” he said, outlining his happiness with his stint with Magic thus far.
The Orlando Magic have exceeded expectations this year. Thanks to the dominance of Banchero and Co., they are currently fourth in the East with a record of 16-9.
Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard are among the Magic icons that Paolo Banchero wants to emulate
Both O’Neal and Dwight Howard had successful stints in Orlando. Shaq, in particular, became a bona fide icon and first made a name for himself in the NBA before joining the Lakers in 1996. In his 295 games for the Magic, Shaq averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, per StatMuse.
In fact, Shaq also takes pride in the fact that his Orlando team was the last to beat Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in a playoff situation. The Magic ended up winning 4-2 riding on the back of Penny Hardaway and O’Neal in the Conference Semifinals.
Shaq took his team all the way to the NBA Finals that year, where they were swept 4-0 by the Houston Rockets.
Dwight Howard, on the other hand, also had a total of 8 successful years with the Magic. Howard averaged 18.4 points and 13 rebounds in his 621 games for the franchise and led his team to the 2009 NBA Finals.
Alongside Hedo Türkoğlu and Rashard Lewis, Howard defeated the Boston Celtics comprising of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo. That was in addition to the 4-2 victory over LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference Finals. The Magic in 2009, eventually fell to the Lakers in the Finals, where they faced Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.
