The Magic Insider

Duke Brotherhood Runs Deep for Magic's Banchero, Carter Jr.; Celtics' Tatum

The Duke men's basketball program was in attendance Friday night in TD Garden for the contest between the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics, which featured plenty of former Blue Devils – Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr. and Jayson Tatum.
Mason Williams|
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots over Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the first half at TD Garden.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots over Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the first half at TD Garden. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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Orlando MagicBoston CelticsDuke Blue Devils

BOSTON – Before Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr were Orlando Magic teammates or Jayson Tatum was opposition on the Boston Celtics, the trio was already a part of The Brotherhood.

That's the name for the bond shared between all former, current and prospective Duke men's basketball players. Think of The Brotherhood as a fraternity of some of the best college basketball players in the country, where their uniform is the iconic deep blue and white and Cameron Indoor Stadium is their gathering place.

It doesn't leave you, either. Once you're in The Brotherhood, you're a part of it forever.

Thus, it's not out of line for Banchero and Tatum, fellow members of The Brotherhood turned nightly foes, to have such a tight relationship.

Each speaks glowingly of the other whenever asked:

Friday night's matchup with between the Magic and Celtics was a perfect storm. Not only were there three former Blue Devils on the court, but the current Blue Devil team was in town for a matchup with Boston College on Saturday.

It was only right they'd meet up postgame.

"It was great seeing those guys," said Banchero postgame of meeting up with the team. "They brought the whole program, so I saw not only coach [Jon] Scheyer but strength coaches [and] training staff, all the players. It was just good seeing them. Always refreshing when I get to talk to them."

After the game, Banchero took time to catch up with Scheyer and meet the rest of the team, including projected 2025 top overall pick Cooper Flagg, in the bowels of the arena.

"That was the first time they've watched me play in an NBA game, so I wish I could've played better, but it was good seeing them, spending time and saying hi."

Banchero, the Magic's No.1 overall pick in 2022 and a member of Mike Krzyzewski's last-ever Duke team, is one of the more recent success stories to come out of the program. The reach from Durham to the rest of the basketball world, however, spreads generations.

Carter Jr. is nearly seven years removed from his time in the program. Yet he, like Banchero, still feels the love from his former team.

"It's dope, man, the fact that they're still locked in with me," Carter Jr. told Magic on SI Friday. "Jon hits me up every now and then to check in on me; I check in on him. Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) also. Even though I only spent so many months there, the fact that they're still checking in on me really shows how much of a brotherhood it is. It's way bigger than basketball."

Carter Jr. says he took a lot from Krzyzewski, who he credits helped turn him into the man he is today and into a lottery pick after just one season.

"He continues to help me out even if he may not think he is," Carter Jr. said. "But he definitely is."

Banchero posted on his Instagram story recently that his Blue Devils would be the ones capturing the title come the end of March Madness.

While Carter Jr. says he's had to do more box score-checking than anything because of the varying schedules, but he's been impressed with what he's seen to this point.

"I'm super excited for what they do heading into March."

You can bet which former players will be egging them on.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

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  • FRANZ ENTERS RETURN TO COMP. CONDITIONING PHASE: Fourth-year Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner has been sidelined since Dec. 6, 2024 with a torn right oblique. CLICK HERE
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  • BANCHERO'S RETURN, MINUTE-BY-MINUTE: The key moments that bulleted Paolo Banchero's return back to the floor. CLICK HERE
  • MAGIC'S 2024-25 SCHEDULE: See the complete slate for the Orlando Magic in 2024-25 and all the details – dates, locations, TV, tip times, and more – that you need to know. CLICK HERE

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