Las Vegas, NV - JULY 9: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic shoots a free throw against the Sacramento Kings during the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2022 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
Paolo Banchero has continued an incredible start to his career in the NBA as he has now matched Dominique Wilkins in stats
Paolo Banchero has been the most talked about youngster in the latest season of the NBA so far. The Orlando Magic rookie has had an incredible individual start to his season as he is matching records established by some of the greats of the game with every passing game that he plays, and this time he has matched 1980’s NBA legend Dominique Wilkins with his brand new feat.
Banchero, an American-Italian power forward was picked as the first overall pick in the 2022 Draft by the Orlando Magic. Following a freshman season where he turned out for the Duke Blue Devils in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) where he won rookie of the year – the 19-year-old Banchero was picked by the Orlando Magic as the first choice pick in the 2022 Draft.
Banchero made his NBA debut for the Magic this season – and even though the Magic have succumbed to five consecutive losses, the rookie has made quite the early reputation for himself. His latest display for the Magic in a 92-103 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers might have been their fifth straight defeat of the season, but for Banchero – it was yet another all-time record matched.
With his performance against the Cavaliers where he racked up 29 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, Banchero wrote his name into the history books. Banchero became the first player in their first five career games to total 120+ points, 35+ rebounds, and 15+ assists, since Dominique Wilkins in 1982-83 – and it was not the first all-time record he has matched all season either.
Banchero has matched a number of records in his first five games for the Magic.
It was only after his debut in a loss to the Detroit Pistons that Banchero equalled the best-ever debut by a first-choice pick with 27 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists – only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James achieved similar numbers. After their loss to the New York Knicks, Banchero became only the first player since Grant Hill to start their career with 4 straight 20+ point games.
Five consecutive 20+ point games to begin the season with is no mean feat, and Banchero will hope to reach bigger heights in an incredibly promising career ahead for the Magic rookie.
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