After winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award in his debut season, Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero took a step further in his sophomore season and earned his first All-Star nod. The young forward was interviewed by a 13-year-old reporter from Jazzys World TV during the All-Star weekend, where he spoke glowingly about his mother, Rhonda, the biggest contributor in his basketball journey. Speaking about the former WNBA player, he said,
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“She was a basketball coach from the day I was born till about 13-14 years old so you know I was really born into basketball. I would go to the gym as a baby. And that’s how I developed the love and some of her qualities, she’s tough, she’s very bright, everyone loves being around her smile. It lights up the room. She’s very fearless, too. I think that’s where I get my aggressiveness and fearlessness from.”
Rhonda Banchero is a Washington Huskies legend. She spent four years representing the program between 1991 and 1995 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2004. She started her professional career in the American Basketball League with the Seattle Reign in 1996 and spent a year and a half with the franchise before joining the Portland Power.
Banchero had a short-lived nine-game career in the WNBA with the Sacramento Monarchs and was out of the league soon after. Her professional career didn’t last long, but she understood what it would take to become a successful basketball star and passed it on to her son, who is now one of the brightest young stars in the NBA.
Paolo Banchero’s excellent sophomore season
The Orlando Magic picked Paolo Banchero first overall in the 2022 NBA draft with the expectation that he’d become a franchise cornerstone. So far, their decision is going swimmingly. The young forward averaged 20 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in his rookie season and almost won the Rookie of the Year unanimously. He earned 98 of the 100 first-place votes, showcasing how far ahead he was of his peers.
Banchero is the third Magic player to win the award after Shaquille O’Neal (1993) and Mike Miller (2001).
In his sophomore year, Banchero’s numbers and the Magic have improved. He’s averaging 22.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, and Orlando is 32-25. They won only 34 games last season. Banchero is also a menace on the defensive end. He’s one of only five forwards, alongside Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jaylen Brown, to boast a defensive rating of under 113 and a scoring average of at least 22 points per game. Banchero was also part of the Team USA in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
He averaged only 17.4 minutes per game but made the most of the opportunities. The Magic averaged 9.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 58% from the field.
Banchero’s excellence on the court earned him a maiden All-Star nod and will likely end Orlando’s three-year playoff drought. The young sensation is changing the franchise’s trajectory in his second year. The future is bright for Banchero and the Magic.
