2022 NBA Draft - Paolo Banchero

As many NBA fans are aware, Paolo Banchero is the first pick of this years NBA draft (2022-23). He 

got drafted by Orlando Magic, after his successful freshman season at Duke university. He is one of the 

top prospects in the draft, he stands at a very tall 6'10, he plays the forward position, and he is very 

young as well, he is only 19 year old.

In todays blog, I will be analyzing his offensive pros/cons, and Paolo's defensive pros/cons. 

Additionally, I will be analyzing how good he is overall, and his fit on the Orlando Magics players 

system

                Paolo Banchero - #1 Pick of the 2022 NBA Draft

About Paolo:

Currently, Paolo Banchero is a 19 year old (born November, 2002, In Seattle), that gained massive 

hype and popularity after his mind boggling and dominating season at his high school (O' Dea High 

School). 

In high school, he averaged 22.6 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, and 1.6 BPG. After gaining massive hype, 

he became a 5 star recruit, and he signed to Duke university late 2020.

He played 1 season for Duke, where he averaged 17.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 3.2 APG, on nearly 50% 

shooting average. He won many awards, most noticeably the 2021-22 ACC ROY. After his successful 

season at Duke, he took the NBA world by storm and several NBA Draft scouts projected him to be one

of the top 3 rookies of this years NBA Draft.

Offense: PROS AND CONS

PROS	CONS
- Good size and length as a power forward, he stands at a height of 6"10, and 250 Ibs.	- Lacks run and jumping athleticism.
- He is very versatile, he can do a bit of everything as a big man.	- Not an ideal shooter from the 3 point line.
- Good blend of strength and athleticism, and fluidity	- Can struggle with turnovers
- He has a rare mix of moves for a power forward, he can effectively do spin moves, attack on the bounce efficiently, and is comfortable sizing up defenders.	- Paolo needs to improve from the free throw line
- Possesses excellent footwork in the post, and he has a fluid jumpshot as well.
- He can play above virtually anyone, making it extremely difficult to contest Paolo's jumpshot and moves to the rim.

Defensive: PROS AND CONS

PROS	CONS
- Strong and elite rebounder	- Still needs time to improve defensively
- Can easily play the five and four position in the NBA due to his length and size.	- Lacks lateral quickness on the perimeter.
- Good at switching off the perimeter	- Doesn't provide much rim protection, averaging less than a block per game. (according to his Duke season)
- Paolo has potential to be an elite defender with experience and practice	- Bad at consistently rotating onto wing guards

Overall: 

Paolo is an elite prospect that possesses few weaknesses in his game, especially at the offensive end. 

There is very little he is not capable of doing on the court. For that reason, it no joke that he is one of 

the top 3 picks of the NBA draft, and many NBA fans believe that he is #1, especially after his efficient 

and great season at Duke. Overall, he is a good athlete, well coordinated, he has great mobility, and he 

elevates well at the rim with good timing and body control. Additionally, he can easily score on all 

three levels, he possesses good footwork as well. Paolo is also an elite scorer and very efficient on the 

offensive end, but at the right times he is unselfish and a team player.

 Paolo's fit on the Orlando Magic:

After becoming the #1 pick in this years NBA Draft, Paolo will look forward to making an immediate 

impact with the Orlando Magic's organization. With Paolo entering Orlando Magic, he will be in a 

rotation with multiple young players, who are all trying to improve, and have potential to be great in 

the NBA. 

Although Orlando Magic now have players like Paolo, and Franz Wagner, they are still incomplete and 

they will have to learn how to play with one another quickly, if they want to see success in the next few 

seasons. Luckily for the Orlando Magic, Banchero and Wagner can easily develop and mature beside 

each other due to their similar play style, and skill sets. They wull most likely develop chemistry for 

years to come alongside solid point guards like Cole Anthony