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It hasn't taken long for Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero to impress in the NBA. Banchero has been one of the league's top rookies. Through his first five games, he's averaged 24.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
Coming into the season, Banchero had lofty expectations. That's what comes with being the first selection in the 2022 NBA draft. Since his time in college with the Duke Blue Devils, Banchero had the potential to be a superstar. He was ranked as one of the top players in high school basketball coming into his freshman season.
Every time Banchero has been hyped as a superstar talent, he's delivered. It didn't take long before the attention of being a star started to spiral out of control. On an episode of the "Young Person Basketball Podcast," Banchero spoke with teammate R.J. Hampton about how the "paparazzi" at Duke was a bit extreme.
"When people found out where I lived, my classmates started bringing their families to my dorm," Banchero said.
Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero impresses
After his first game at Duke, it was obvious that Paolo Banchero was destined to be a force in the NBA. But before he made it to the next level, Banchero was one of the top players in college basketball.
Throughout his podcast segment with R.J. Hampton, Banchero shared stories about how students would come to his dorm just to take pictures. He shared that even some families would wake him up just "to say hi."
Banchero was viewed as a potential top-two selection throughout his entire freshman season at Duke. Because of that expectation, there was no shortage of fans and attention for the 19-year-old.
That paparazzi isn't going anywhere, especially if Banchero continues to play at this level. It only took one NBA game for Paolo to also showcase his potential. The Orlando Magic rookie became the first player since LeBron James to have 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in their debut.
The Orlando Magic have been a young, rebuilding team over the years. After winning the first pick in last year's lottery, the hope was that would be changing. In order to do that, Orlando knew they needed to find a player who could be a potential franchise-altering piece. If we've seen anything from the opening weeks of play, it looks as if Banchero can be just what they need.
Guess the Bulls players in this quiz and it's not going to be easy!
