Paolo Banchero turned the frontrunner to win Rookie of the 12 months race from the very second that he went No. 1 in final 12 months’s draft.
And no one caught him.
Banchero was introduced Tuesday night time because the overwhelming winner of the highest rookie award for this season, after the Orlando ahead led all first-year gamers in scoring and helped the Magic enhance from a 22-win final season to a 34-win membership that contended for a play-in berth this season.
The previous Duke standout averaged 20 factors per sport. He had 15 video games of at the least 25 factors and 40 video games of at the least 20 factors, each probably the most amongst rookies this season. And he gained rookie of the month 4 occasions, every of these bulletins solely additional indicating that he was forward of the sphere.
He turned the third participant to win rookie of the 12 months as a member of the Magic, becoming a member of Shaquille O’Neal in 1993 and Mike Miller _ who represents Banchero _ in 2001. Banchero, on the TNT broadcast of the announcement, recalled a dialog he had with Miller on draft night time.
“He checked out me and he requested me if I used to be going to be rookie of the 12 months,” Banchero mentioned. “I confidently mentioned sure. It was only a objective I’ve at all times had, one thing I had my eye on from the second I bought drafted. I’m glad I used to be in a position to do it.”
Banchero bought 98 of the 100 first-place votes from a panel of writers and broadcasters who cowl the league. Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder was second and Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz was third. Kessler bought the 2 first-place votes that Banchero didn’t obtain.
Banchero is the primary No. 1 decide to win the award within the season instantly after getting drafted since Karl-Anthony Cities in 2016; Ben Simmons gained the award in 2018, two years after he went No. 1.
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned one in every of his largest takeaways from Banchero’s first season was an on-court maturity and willingness to play the best method.
“He had a capability to regulate in-game to no matter was requested of him to influence profitable,” Mosley mentioned.
Banchero freely acknowledges that he’s not a completed product, and Mosley mentioned the workforce desires him to lock in on sure areas over the offseason.
“I feel there’s so some ways during which he can develop,” Mosley mentioned. “I feel loads of occasions rookies will are available and so they’ll attempt to do the whole lot. The most important discuss with him is simply to have a deal with one or two items for the summer season, the place he can enhance in sure areas — as a result of he’s going to work. I don’t suppose that’s going to be any query in any respect.”
Within the remaining chapter of his season-long rookie diary for The Related Press, Banchero additionally detailed among the methods he desires to enhance over the approaching months.
“I wish to be extra constant, extra harmful from 3-point vary subsequent season,” he mentioned. “There have been stretches throughout this 12 months the place I shot the ball properly. I simply want to search out the consistency. I feel increasing my vary in 12 months 2, then simply getting in greatest form I presumably can — I feel I used to be in good condition this 12 months, however simply wish to take it to a different degree. To get to the place I wish to be, the whole lot’s simply going to must be kicked up a notch. And I’m wanting ahead to that.”
Banchero turns into the sixth individual to obtain one of many NBA’s high particular person awards to date on this award season, following the reveals of Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. as defensive participant of the 12 months, Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox because the inaugural winner of the clutch participant award, Kings coach Mike Brown as a unanimous decide for coach of the 12 months, Boston’s Malcolm Brogdon as sixth man of the 12 months and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen because the league’s most improved participant.
That solely leaves the largest particular person prize of all — MVP.
Two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic of Denver is a finalist once more, together with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid. The NBA has not mentioned when the MVP trophy might be handed out.
The All-NBA, All-Rookie and All-Defensive groups even have but to be revealed.
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