Magic PF Paolo Banchero Still Best NBA Rookie?
ORLANDO - Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero has had a very successful first season in the NBA.
Banchero is averaging nearly 20 points per game and is keeping the Magic in contention for one of the final play-in spots going into March.
But is he considered the best rookie? NBA.com believes so, as he tops the most recent edition of the Rookie Ladder.
"If you didn’t know this guy is in his first NBA season, you would not have guessed it in his performance at New Orleans Monday," NBA.com writes. "Banchero scored eight early points, then got 20 of his 29 in the second half. Orlando went to him repeatedly down the stretch and he hit on three key trips to ice the 101-93 victory. OK, so he shot only 37.4% in February and made only one of 33 3-point tries in the month. But the Magic went 6-5, 17-16 since Dec. 15. The defensive attention he commands even on off nights aids his mates."
Banchero finds a way to make his teammates better, and that's what sets him apart from the rest of the rookie class. If he can keep it up, he'll be a shoo-in for the Rookie of the Year award at season's end.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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