'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Paolo Banchero is living his best life after deciding to leave the NCAA and enter the NBA Draft. However, during the F1 Grand Prix of Miami, a reporter mistook the superstar for the NFL's Patrick Mahomes.
In major sporting events, the biggest stars in different sports often make an appearance to enjoy the festivities.
NCAA superstar Paolo Banchero was one of several famous athletes to appear at Miami's first-ever F1 Grand Prix.
While many stars were recognizable to the general public, Paolo Banchero was not so identifiable for one F1 reporter. During an interview, F1 reporter Martin Brundle mistook the NCAA basketball superstar for another famous athlete.
Despite being one of the more prominent athletes in college basketball, Banchero does not quite have the global star power to be immediately recognized.
Banchero is similar in some ways to the former NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion, so there is logic to the reporter's mistake.
Still, mistaking the two for one another seems like a difficult feat, given that they don't really resemble each other. Banchero is also several inches taller than the NFL QB.
Regardless, there are much worse athletes to be mistaken for than Patrick Mahomes. There will likely be some interaction between Paolo Banchero and Patrick Mahomes due to the incident.
Despite the moment's awkwardness, Banchero took it in stride and had some fun on Twitter afterward.
NCAA superstar Paolo Banchero's response to being mistaken for Patrick Mahomes
The awkward interaction could have ruined the F1 Grand Prix for the NBA Draft hopeful, but he appeared to have fun with the moment. The college basketball star laughed off the incident on Twitter.
If anything, the moment between the two shows the difference in the star power of college basketball, F1, and the NFL. A prominent F1 reporter mistook a college athlete for an NFL star.
Of the three people involved, Patrick Mahomes has the most extensive following. Martin Brundle follows as a distant second and Paolo Banchero has the smallest following for the time being.
Paolo Banchero was not the only one to have fun with the moment. His former NCAA team and Patrick Mahomes had fun with the incident as well.
While the photos are not in the same light, the side-by-side comparison definitely fits Mahomes's conclusion.
Guess the Lakers players!
