Magic Rookie Banchero Officially Joins Mavs Star Doncic with Jordan Brand
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Luka Doncic is getting a new star teammate on Thursday … just not in the way Dallas Mavericks fans would’ve preferred.
Paolo Banchero, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the NBA Draft, is joining Doncic in the shoe game. Although we got wind of this over the offseason, he has officially signed with Jordan Brand as of Monday morning, per multiple reports.
The Magic front office viewed Banchero in the same light as many experts that saw him as the best overall prospect in this class.
Banchero wasn't seen as a primary option for the Magic when the team won the draft lottery, but he has gained a ton of momentum in the past couple days and was listed as the betting odds favorite going into tonight.
In 36 career games at Duke last season, Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals. Banchero took home ACC Rookie of the Year and First-Team All-ACC honors following his lone campaign at Duke.
Banchero's one-and-done season at Duke showcased just how spectacular he could be as a prototype forward in the league.
For a team that ranked second worst in the NBA in scoring, Banchero would be given the green light with the Magic to create offense off the dribble.
Despite shooting a subpar 33.8 percent from three while at Duke, he still has the mechanics and ability to be an elite scorer from all three levels.
On top of his ability to put the ball in the basket, Banchero is also an underrated facilitator, whether that be in the open court after grabbing a defensive rebound, or in half-court offensive sets, he has the vision and basketball IQ to be a five assist caliber player.
The all-around offensive game that Banchero provides will be valuable to the Magic moving forward.
And Jordan Brand hopes that Banchero's on-court success will lead to millions of dollars in business.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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