Magic No. 1 Pick Paolo Banchero Compares Coach K, Jamahl Mosley
ORLANDO - There's a lot going on during Sunday morning's practice at the Amway Center, one of the final ones before the Orlando Magic travel to Las Vegas for the annual Summer League.
Guards are working on drills at one basket, the wings are working on corner threes, and the big men are working on various post moves, but with all that's going on, one area stands out more than the others.
A 6-10, 250-pound athletic beast working on the low block with head coach Jamahl Mosley.
Paolo Banchero's size helps him stand out even without his backstory ... Duke basketball star, No. 1 overall pick, and Coach K's final star pupil before his retirement in April.
Banchero has trained with the best of the best on the college scene, and now he's moving to the NBA, continuing his development with another talented coach in Mosley.
"They're both great teachers," Banchero said. "Obviously Coach Mose is a lot more able to get on the floor and demonstrate things."
Two different styles ... Coach K's observation and hands-off mentality vs. Coach Mose's hands-on, get-in-the-trenches mentality.
Both are effective and both come from different schools of thought, but Banchero believes the NBA adds an extra level of intensity.
"These practices ... you gotta pick up on things a little faster than college," Banchero said.
Banchero appears to be taking things in stride during one of the first practices of what should be a very long career if his projections match reality. You can see how a player who's already extremely gifted physically benefit from world-class coaching and improve slowly but surely.
The No. 1 overall pick did it in college, and it's a big reason why the Magic selected Banchero with the top pick.
"Guys are different in November than March," Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said. "He was playing his best ball when it most mattered. We feel that as he grows and as his body evolves, he will be ready for playoff basketball."
If he can display the steady improvement in Orlando with Coach Mose that he did at Duke with Coach K, Banchero will have the opportunity to lead the Magic for as long as he wishes.
