The Orlando Magic may have lost a very winnable game against the Detroit Pistons last night but most fans of the franchise are still smiling on Thursday morning thanks to Paolo Banchero.
The No 1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft put in a historically significant display in the 113-109 defeat, becoming the first rookie since LeBron James to score at least 25 points to go with five rebounds and five assists on his NBA debut.
He dropped 27 points, the most ever by a Magic rookie on debut, grabbed nine rebounds and dished five assists overall, shooting 11 of 18 from the field in the Motor City. He also impressed on defense, recording a couple of blocks in a performance which built upon a strong Summer League and preseason for the former Duke Blue Devil.
The 19-year-old showcased his diverse skillset all night but punctuated his statement performance with a powerful dunk in transition over Cory Joseph which will be the takeaway moment from his debut that will feature on showreels in the years to come, should Banchero live up to his undoubted promise.
Another stat which signifies just how significant an opening outing this was is the fact that only two previous No 1 picks have managed 25-5-5 or better since 1969, LeBron and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – the man whom James is set to surpass for the all-time NBA points record later this season.
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Catch up quickly on all the action from Wednesday night with the Fast Break!
“It means a lot, I guess,” Banchero said after the game. “Obviously, would have liked to win. But I just wanted to play hard, play for the team, and that happened, so it’s a blessing.
“A moment that you’ve been working for my whole life, trying to get to this point right here. It’s definitely a milestone. I’m proud of myself for getting here. But also, this is the start. It’s not the end. You just have to come in and be prepared, be ready and play our best, play my hardest.”
Banchero did not hesitate in his NBA introduction, scoring Orlando’s first four points and finishing the first quarter 3-for-3 on field goals for seven points. He was even better in the fourth quarter as Orlando tried to mount a comeback, going 5-for-8 for 13 points, including the massive poster dunk on Joseph.
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Highlights of the Detroit Pistons against the Orlando Magic in Week 1 of the NBA season
The mark in that quarter alone is more than superstar Magic rookies such as Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway and Dwight Howard managed in the entirety of their debuts, with all of them scoring a dozen points in their first career game.
“It’s crazy,” Banchero said. “I felt like I left a lot of points on the board.
“Credit to my team-mates for finding me. It’s always nice to see the ball get in that early, get easy buckets around the rim. That’s how I try to play, inside out. Try to get easy stuff around the basket and expand out and do more stuff throughout the game.”
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero showcased a wide array of skills on his NBA debut
Banchero certainly did that and tallied the most points by a No 1 overall pick since Allen Iverson scored 30 points in his debut in 1996. The names he’s being mentioned with in this article demonstrate just how prodigious a talent the Magic appear to have on their hands.
“He handled himself very well,” team-mate Jalen Suggs, selected fifth last year and who scored 21 points, said. “He got to his spots. He ran in transition. He was physical. He boarded. He made the right play when it was there.
“Paolo did a fantastic job tonight. We’re going to continue to ride with him, we’re going to continue to grow, and moments like this are important for us. We got to be in this to grow, and he showed us a lot tonight.”
Watch Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks open their season against the 76ers in Philadelphia, followed by Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers doing likewise against the Lakers in Los Angeles, live on Sky Sports Arena, late on Thursday night from 12.30am
