Magic Culture: Paolo Banchero & Joe Ingles Set Tone for Rookie Jett Howard
OSCEOLA, Fl. - Orlando Magic rookie Jett Howard has bounced back and forth between the NBA and G League this season, but the lottery pick has learned during his time around veterans Paolo Banchero and Joe Ingles.
On paper, Ingles and Banchero are on two different ends of the NBA spectrum. Banchero is the reigning Rookie of the Year and is only 21 years old, while Ingles is a 36-year-old role player. Still, together, the two have helped form a culture in Orlando that has propelled the team's success to a top-eight seed in the East and exceeded the lackluster success of the franchise in recent years.
Orlando Magic rookie Jett Howard revealed Paolo Banchero and Joe Ingles' influence on his young career.
Isaiah De Anda Delgado & Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
Following a game with Orlando's G League affiliate team in Osceola, Howard spoke about his rookie season thus far, where he's averaged over 22 points, four rebounds, and two assists while developing outside the NBA's bright lights.
“I'm just taking it day by day on how to make sure I get better every day and see what happens, not trying to overthink the process," Howard said.
This season, the rookie has been splitting his time between the NBA and the G League, where he gets more minutes for development. Still, he pointed out Banchero and Ingles as two players in Orlando who have helped him acclimate to being a professional.
"Joe Ingles' has been good at guiding me and helping me out," Howard said. "Just him helping me understand how to play the right way within the team and make yourself open and available for players like Paolo and Franz (Wagner). How to play with guys has been the biggest thing, so I would say just him teaching me how to play the right way.”
Adjusting to the pace of the G League and improving as a defender were two things Howard said he's worked on most this season so that it's "easy" to keep up when his opportunities increase at the NBA level.
Luckily, he's found camaraderie alongside fellow young players on the Magic.
"It's been cool," Howard said. "It's good to be around a young locker room and have like-minded young guys around."
Orlando is headlined by Banchero (21) and Wagner (22), two young stars in the league, two players that Howard said he voted for as All-Stars. However, Banchero's leadership by example should give fans the most optimism for the Magic's future.
“Man, you kinda forget he’s 21 sometimes," Howard said of Banchero. "He’s super advanced, super smart, and knows how to play. A really good scorer and consistent; that’s the main thing. He does it every night, so I think that’s really special.”
If, at 21, Banchero has already earned the respect of fellow lottery picks and is setting the tone for the culture in Orlando, then the sky is the limit for this team going forward.
Last season, the team struggled and seemed too young and inexperienced at times, losing winnable games, but based on Howard's revelations, Ingles and Banchero are changing the Magic's culture. Helping motivate players like Howard to work hard behind the scenes during extended minutes in Osceola so that they can contribute to the franchise's first NBA championship in the future.
