Magic PF Paolo Banchero More 'Motivated' Than He's Ever Been
ORLANDO - Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero has proven why he was the No. 1 pick.
After leading all rookies in scoring and becoming the Rookie of the Year, Banchero solidified himself as a mainstay in the NBA ... and yet, he finds himself even more motivated than he was coming into the league.
“I think this is the most motivated I’ve been heading into a summer,” Banchero said to SLAM Magazine. “And I think a lot of guys on the team would say the same. I think we all kind of have that same mentality where next year is the year where we kind of put ourselves in that conversation of being one of the better teams in the East, and then in the League.”
Banchero is slowly establishing himself as a leader for the Magic and the team will follow his lead. The addition of Banchero's impact on both ends propelled Orlando from 22 wins the year prior to a 34-48 mark this season. While the 12-win jump marked the largest in the Eastern Conference, the Magic fell just short of the postseason for the third consecutive year.
Now, Orlando hopes Banchero's motivation for greatness will help push the Magic out of its playoff drought in a year from now.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.
Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.
Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.
Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
