Rookie of the Year? Magic No. 1 Pick Paolo Banchero Reveals 'Main Goal'
A winning record? Playoff contention? Maybe even a playoff series win?
Sure, this and more is certainly on the list of goals for the Orlando Magic and No. 1 overall rookie Paolo Banchero this season.
But in a conversation with NBA insider Marc Stein, Banchero didn't shy away from his desire to take home the ultimate rookie hardware, admitting it's one of his "main goals" to win the 2022-23 Rookie of the Year.
"Besides the team success and us having a great year, that's definitely my main goal," Banchero said.
Unlike years past, the Magic sit in a realistic position to be one of the league's most-improved teams this season. Adding Banchero with the No. 1 overall selection in June only bolstered those chances.
And should he be a primary contributor in a Magic frontcourt that already includes some impressive talent like Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner, and Mo Bamba, his already high likelihood of winning the award would only swell. The season-ending injury to Oklahoma City Thunder rookie and No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren has certainly aided these chances.
Per SI Sportsbook, Banchero is currently the runaway favorite (+200) to win the award. Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray are tied for the second-best odds (+450).
Despite a slow start to the preseason, Banchero picked things up and finished with averages of 14 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists across five exhibition games. He'll to begin his potential Rookie-of-the-Year campaign when the Magic visit the Pistons and Ivey and Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
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