It’s no surprise that expectations for Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero are pretty high.
He has spoken in the past about his goal-oriented nature, which fuels every aspect of his improvement. Everything he has accomplished throughout his career has been imagined long before it came to fruition. The embodiment of a champion’s mindset, which applies to both his own personal growth and the budding trajectory of his Magic team.
Joined by Jay Williams, “Dr. J” Julius Erving and sneaker design guru Dom “The Surgeon” Chambrone on a panel at Fanatics Fan Fest in New York City this past weekend, Williams asked Banchero to project where the Magic’s first overall pick in the 2022 draft will be five years from now.
Confidence shines through in Banchero’s response.
“NBA champion,” Banchero began, but was interrupted by applause from the audience. “I hope he’s an MVP. One of the faces of the league. One of the faces of basketball, the new generation — I guess I’m part of the new generation. Yeah, all that.”
The Magic’s steady rise through Banchero’s first two seasons hasn’t been without its bumps. Orlando fought for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, eventually finding a spot in fifth place after a 47-win season last year. Now, given the offseason additions and how they combine with another year of NBA experience, Banchero believes his Orlando team is ready to compete year in and year out.
“Last year we were more focused on getting in the conversation, you know. We were just trying to make a name for ourselves as a competitive team in the East,” Banchero said. “Now I think we’re trying to get to that next echelon, that top three, top four and get up there with (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, etc.) and compete with those guys.”
Not only is one of Banchero’s goals to see his team succeed, but with him as the face of the Magic franchise, a hypothetical season that saw Orlando hoist the Larry O’Brien at the end of the season would likely be the culmination of an MVP-caliber season with Banchero at the helm. To become a face of the league, you have to transcend the impact you have on one team. Winning does that.
That’s all Banchero wants to do. If he has his way, the next five years will be filled with that kind of thing.
You can watch the full conversation with Paolo Banchero at Fanatics Fan Fest in New York last weekend below.
