Orlando Magic's Paolo Banchero named NBA rookie of the year
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Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero has been named NBA rookie of the year.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LOS ANGELES – The Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero was named the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Rookie of the Year on Tuesday after a dazzling debut season.
The forward received 98 of the 100 first-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters to earn the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy. He said of the award: “I remember when I first got drafted, my agent Mike Miller looked at me and he asked me if I was going to be Rookie of the Year, and I confidently said, ‘Yes’.
“It was just a goal I’ve always had and something I’ve had my eye on from the second I got drafted. I’m glad I was able to do it.”
The 20-year-old averaged 20 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 72 games (all starts) after being the No. 1 overall pick by the Magic in the 2022 draft. He made 85 three-pointers and recorded 60 steals and 39 blocked shots.
Banchero received 494 total points in the balloting, more than double the tally for runner-up Jalen Williams (241) of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler (114) was third and received the other two first-place votes.
The Seattle native, who played college basketball at Duke University, is the third Orlando player to win the award. The others are Shaquille O’Neal (1993) and Miller (2001), his agent. Banchero also had six 30-point efforts, second among Magic rookies behind O’Neal (10).
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said he was pleased with the youngster’s first season.
“He had an ability to adjust in-game to whatever was asked of him to impact winning,” he said.
“There’s so many ways in which he can grow. A lot of times rookies will come in and they’ll try to do everything. The biggest talk with him is he can improve in certain areas – because he’s going to work.”
Williams, the 12th overall pick from Santa Clara University, averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 75 games (62 starts).
Kessler, the 22nd selection from Auburn University, was a major force as a defender by blocking 173 shots, a 2.3 average.
He averaged 9.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in 74 games (40 starts). Kessler was acquired by the Jazz two weeks after the draft in the trade that sent three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bennedict Mathurin (sixth pick) of the Indiana Pacers was fourth and Keegan Murray (4) of the Sacramento Kings fifth. Jaden Ivey (5) of the Detroit Pistons also received votes. Murray set an NBA rookie record with 206 three-pointers. REUTERS, AFP
