Paolo Banchero is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Orlando Magic in the NBA. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, where he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2022. Following his freshman season, Banchero declared for the 2022 NBA draft and was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic. He continued his success in the NBA, earning the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2023.
In 2000, Rhonda Smith, Paolo Banchero's mother, was a third-round selection in the WNBA draft.
On November 12, 2002, Paolo Napoleon James Banchero was born.
In February 2020, Paolo Banchero received Italian citizenship because of his paternal ancestry.
On August 20, 2020, Paolo Banchero committed to playing college basketball for Duke, despite predictions he would commit to Washington.
In November 2020, Paolo Banchero was selected to Italy's 24-man squad for the EuroBasket 2022 qualification games; however, he did not play.
On November 14, 2021, Paolo Banchero was charged with aiding and abetting DUI after Duke teammate Michael Savarino was arrested on DUI charges.
On November 23, 2021, Paolo Banchero registered 28 points and 8 rebounds in a 107–81 victory against The Citadel.
On November 27, 2021, Paolo Banchero scored 21 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in a 84–81 win against Gonzaga.
On November 29, 2021, Paolo Banchero was named ACC freshman of the week for the second time.
On December 23, 2021, Paolo Banchero put up 23 points in a 76–65 victory over Virginia Tech.
In 2021, Paolo Banchero was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in his class.
On January 12, 2022, Paolo Banchero registered 24 points and 5 rebounds in a 76–64 victory against Wake Forest.
On January 15, 2022, Paolo Banchero tallied 21 points and 8 rebounds in a 88–73 win over NC State.
On January 17, 2022, Paolo Banchero earned ACC freshman of the week honors.
On February 12, 2022, Paolo Banchero scored 16 points and snagged 14 rebounds in a 72–61 win against Boston College.
On March 15, 2022, Paolo Banchero was named a third-team All-American.
On April 20, 2022, Paolo Banchero declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.
On May 8, 2022, Paolo Banchero attended the inaugural Miami Grand Prix in Miami Gardens where he was mistakenly interviewed by Sky Sports announcer Martin Brundle believing he was Patrick Mahomes. The gaffe was caught on live television.
On July 29, 2022, the charges against Paolo Banchero were dropped after Michael Savarino pled guilty to DUI.
On October 3, 2022, Paolo Banchero made his preseason debut, putting up eight points, two rebounds and one assist in a 109–97 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
In 2022, Banchero was eligible to play for the Italy national team and indicated his willingness to represent Italy in international competitions.
In 2022, Paolo Banchero was named the Rookie of the Year of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He also declared for the 2022 NBA draft.
In June 2023, Paolo Banchero opted to play for the 2023 U.S. national team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, leading to accusations of "betrayal" from the Italian Basketball Federation.
On November 2, 2023, Banchero put up 30 points alongside a game-winning layup in a 115–113 win over the Utah Jazz.
In 2023, Banchero was named the NBA Rookie of the Year.
On January 3, 2024, Paolo Banchero scored a then career-high 43 points in a 138–135 double-overtime loss against the Sacramento Kings.
On February 1, 2024, Paolo Banchero was named to his first career All-Star Game as an Eastern Conference reserve.
On October 23, 2024, in the Magic's season-opening game, Paolo Banchero put up 33 points and 11 rebounds in a 116–97 win over the Miami Heat.
On January 10, 2025, Paolo Banchero returned after injury, posting 34 points and seven rebounds in a 109–106 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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