SI All-American Paolo Banchero Cuts List to Six
As elite players from the 2020 class continue to finalize their plans for next season, underclassmen like Paolo Banchero are taking bigger steps toward making things official.
On Wednesday, Banchero released his top six schools: Washington, Gonzaga, Duke, Kentucky, Arizona and Tennessee.
SI All-American First Team | Second Team | Third Team
Banchero was named to the SI All-American team after a dominant junior season.
Banchero followed up a state title run as a sophomore with an appearance in the state title game this season. He averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks a game for the Fighting Irish who finished 23-6.
Last summer, Banchero was named Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Underclassmen of the Year; the EYBL is the most grueling of the three summer shoe circuits.
Banchero has already taken official visits to Gonzaga, Kentucky, Duke and Tennessee. He’s been on unofficials to Washington but has not visited Arizona yet.
At 6-foot-10, Banchero is one of the most versatile players in the country with scoring ability on all three levels and the ability to dominate the game on both ends of the floor.
It’s no wonder his high school games this season were standing room only well before the opening tip. Multiple former NBA stars like Carlos Boozer, Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford came out to see Banchero this season, some of which couldn’t even get in to watch due to the sold-out crowd.
Banchero should be on a shortlist for SI All-American Player of the Year contention next season after building a dominant resume over the last two years.