Former Duke Blue Devils star Paolo Banchero landed in the Top 100 NBA player ranking, but where?
Much like many other players who have come through the Duke Blue Devils basketball program, forward Paolo Banchero was special in his limited time.
Banchero played one season with the Blue Devils, appearing in 39 games for the team. During this time, Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game.
The forward also shot 33.8 percent from beyond the three-point line for the year. With Banchero leading the charge, Duke reached the Final Four, but they fell to North Carolina in a tough game.
While the ending to the season was tough for Banchero and the Blue Devils, his time in Durham was very successful. Banchero used this performance to be drafted first overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Banchero was named the Rookie of the Year in 2023, showing the NBA what he could do. And he reached his first All-Star team in 2024.
Now entering his fifth season in the NBA, Banchero is a household name in the league, being the face of the Magic. Banchero has gotten better every season, but Orlando will be looking for more from him this year.
However, Banchero came in ranked among the top-50 players in the NBA by ESPN entering the new 2026-27 season. Banchero came in ranked at No. 36, which was a massive drop from a year ago.
Last season, Banchero was ranked No. 17 entering the year, but a semi inconsistent season has seen him fall in the rankings. Overall, Banchero averaged 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game, while appearing in 72 games.
Banchero still isn't a great three-point shooter, with him hitting just 30.5 percent a year ago. This is one of the biggest weak points in his game, and it's a main reason why he dropped so heavily in the rankings.
The forward ranked 33rd in true shooting percentage last season, and if the Magic are ever going to move closer to being a title contender, Banchero will have to be better efficiency wise. But he has been an imposing forward in the NBA during his time with the Magic.
The former Duke star has led the Magic to three straight playoff appearances, while regularly putting up solid numbers. Banchero hasn't been the reason why the Magic have fallen in the postseason, but this year, he will need to do a little more.
Orlando goes as Banchero does, and the former Blue Devils forward has all the talent to lead this team forward. This coming year will be huge for Banchero, giving more thought to him being a superstar in the NBA.
