Charles Barkley makes major prediction about Orlando Magic's $50,000,000 forward

Former NBA star Charles Barkley is a big fan of the Orlando Magic, who are 17-11 in the 2024-25 season. However, Barkley is a fan of one Magic player in particular: Paolo Banchero. On Thursday, the "Inside the NBA" host even made a bold prediction about Banchero.

Banchero is in his third season in the NBA but has been limited to five games due to a torn right abdominal muscle. During his brief time on the court, he has averaged 29.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists.

With how he's played this season, Barkley believes the one-time All-Star will become one of the best players in the league by the end of the season.

“I really want to see this team healthy,” Barkley said. “Shaq loves the Wagner boys, which they are terrific. But Paulo Banchero, to me, by the end of the season, he's going to be a top 10 NBA player. He's already been an All-Star, he was on fire when the season started, but I would love to see this team healthy.”

Orlando has remained competitive despite missing its star since Nov. 1. The Magic have gone 14-9 this season without Banchero in the lineup, per StatMuse, as they remain a top-four seed in the East.

The No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, Banchero is still on his four-year, $50 million rookie deal with the Magic.

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Orlando Magic head coach gave an update on Paolo Banchero's status

Paolo Banchero is still working his way back for the Orlando Magic. According to Todor Pandov, the Magic's director of strength and conditioning, the forward did some light stretching during Thursday morning's shootaround.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley spoke to the media on Thursday and talked about Banchero's status.

“His spirits have been great,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said Thursday. “He understands that it is a process, and does he want to be on the court? Absolutely. Anybody that’s been out for any number of period of time, whether that’s a week, to two weeks, to seven weeks, you want to be on the floor with your guys.

“He’s done a great job of responding [to] that, to staying engaged, to communicating, being in and communicating in film sessions, all of those little things that he’s able to do, that he can control, he’s doing a great job of it.”

While there is progress in Banchero's recovery, the head coach said the star forward hasn't done contact workouts yet. Mosley said he's in constant communication with the medical staff to try to "understand how Banchero responds to what he does the day prior."