Breathe Magic Fans, Paolo Banchero & Jamahl Mosley say they are fine

Maybe the win against the Heat will cool the talk a little

Jan 26, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) rebounds in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

Leading up to the game against the Miami Heat, there were many reports about apparent disconnect from Magic star Paolo Banchero and Head Coach Jamahl Mosley. Before their win against the. Miami Heat, the Magic were in the midst of a 4-game losing streak. During this time, there were videos of both Banchero & Mosely showed clear frustatration, leading to speculation of disconnect between the two.

With heightened expectations for the Orlando Magic, having a record similar to what they had last year at this point of the seasons is what they hoped for. With as many injuries as they've had as well as their struggle to find an offensive identitiy, the race to the top of the Eastern Conference has been a battle.

However, this isn't the first time we've seen a superstar player clash with their head coach. In the first season with the Miami Heat, Lebron James seemed to "bump" coach Erik Spoelstra, in what many touted as the first domino to fall for Spoelstra to get fired. We all know how that ended up working out.

For the Orlando Magic, getting a win against the Miami Heat seemed instrumental for the team's morale. On the court, the team was energized and playing with a sense of purpose. Even after Miami went on a run, taking them from down double digits to having a large lead of their own, the Magic responded by outscoring the Heat in the 3rd quarter 40 to 20.

Paolo Banchero had himself a game, playing with force on both ends of the court. He finished with 31 points to go alongside 11 rebounds, and had the dagger free throws in the final minute to put the game just out of reach.

Banchero was also a +27 on the night, showcasing his importance when he was on the court. His play spoke for itself, but after the game, he decided to address the rumors.

Paolo Banchero refutes reports that he and Jamahl Mosley are at odds pic.twitter.com/IIhOEF4BDF

— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) January 29, 2026

"Whatever those reports are but I wouldn't say they're true. One thing I know about myself & him as that we're both fierce competitors."

Banchero continued to talk about the relationship with Mosely saying it's been good since he's arrived to the Orlando Magic. For Magic fans, this should allow them to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing their superstar player and head coach care enough about the team winning to show some emotion. We will see if the win against the Heat helps spark some positive momentum for this Magic team.