Magic Forward Paolo Banchero Off to Historic Start, But Rookie Believes There's More to Come
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ORLANDO - A 19-year old walks into the room with a cup of ice cream in his hand, just like many teenagers around the world. But for Paolo Banchero, what he's doing is anything but ordinary for the Orlando Magic.
The No. 1 overall pick scored 21 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and notched seven assists in the Magic's 113-93 win against the Charlotte Hornets Friday night and made history in the process.
Banchero is just the third No. 1 overall pick in NBA history to score 20 or more points in each of his first six games, joining Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain (56) and Oscar Robertson (6) on the list.
Banchero is doing things the NBA hasn't seen before. He's building a strong case to be the league's Rookie of the Year already, but Banchero is still just 19 and has yet to reach his personal peak.
"I still don't feel like I'm all the way there in terms of really slowing down to where I'm on an elite, elite level, but I can definitely feel myself improving every game," Banchero said.
It should be expected for Banchero to continue to grow considering he's one of the league's youngest players. And if Banchero still has more in the tank on top of what he's already shown in the first chapter of his NBA career, the rest of the league should be scared.
The Magic is back in action Sunday night when it faces Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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