"And then maybe three days before the draft all the stuff started happening with the odds" - Paolo Banchero reveals he had no idea where he would go on morning of draft

Orlando Magic rookie and no.1 overall draft pick Paolo Banchero faced a lot of uncertainty prior to him being drafted with the odds moving in unpredictable fashion. Banchero addressed some of these doubts regarding the turbulence before the draft.

Paolo Banchero is widely regarded as one of the most talented players in the 2022 draft class. Standing at 6'10" tall, Banchero is a virtual matchup nightmare due to his athleticism and shot-creating ability.

With a versatile skillset at his disposal, the Duke product has garnered a lot of attention for his performances in college. This also saw him in contention for the no.1 overall draft pick.

While Paolo Banchero was considered to be a top-three pick, he wasn't expected to go first overall. For the longest time, the odds favored Jabari Smith Jr. to be the first overall pick. However, a few days prior to the draft, there was a major shift in betting odds as Smith's stock fell significantly.

The fall in Smith's stock was paired with a subsequent change in odds favoring Banchero to go first. Given that a major shift was seen only days before the draft, a lot was left to be questioned. However, Banchero was apparently in the dark regarding the situation.

Speaking about the matter on Marc Stein's substack, Banchero said:

"By [the morning of the draft] I was still a little unsure. I didn’t know if I was going 1, 2 or 3. A week before the draft, I was pretty set that I was going where I was projected to go, which was probably third, and then maybe three days before the draft all the stuff started happening with the odds."

"The odds went way down and it was in my favor all of a sudden. So then I’m like, ‘OK, maybe I’m not going 3.'"

Given that the OKC Thunder were committed to Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero was certain that he would end up in Houston. However, the sudden shift saw the forward land in Orlando as the first overall pick.

With the event linking Banchero and Smith for the rest of their careers, the two may view each other as rivals going forward. As both join teams at different stages of a rebuild, it will be interesting to see how they perform in the future.

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Paolo Banchero could rejuvenate the Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic ended last season as one of the worst teams in the league. While they saw the development of players such as Cole Anthony and Franz Wagner, the team was significantly lacking in roster depth and experience.

However, Paolo Banchero's arrival presents a solid opportunity for improvement going forward. At his size, Banchero possesses the skillset of a guard. This makes him the ideal frontcourt counterpart to Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr., who are the same height but possess different skillsets.

Banchero mentioned that he looked up to the likes of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony when he was younger. This is reflected in his shot selection and approach towards shot creation as well. When his scoring ability is paired with his playmaking, the forward creates a lot of opportunities for his team.

While Orlando may not reap the benefits of Banchero's arrival right away, he could be the piece that links the team's developmental aspirations.