Paolo Napoleon James Banchero, also known as Paolo Banchero, plays for the Orlando Magic in the NBA. He is an American professional basketball player who was a part of the US squad that finished fourth in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Banchero was the first overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. He stands at an impressive height of 6’10” and has a wingspan of 7’1”. He was born on November 12, 2002 in Seattle, Washington, United States and plays as a power forward.
Banchero played collegiate basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, where he averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 39 games. Paolo won Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Week and ACC Rookie of the Year for his performances in college. He was selected to the Third Team All- American and First-Team All-ACC.
Paolo Banchero Ethnicity
Paolo Banchero is of Italian descent from his father’s side and African-American from his maternal side. He has both Italian and American citizenship. Both his parents attended the University of Washington. His father and uncle were football players, while his mother, Rhonda, played basketball for the University of Washington.
Paolo Banchero’s mother was the all-time scoring leader in college and continued playing professionally in the USA and overseas. Later, she started coaching at the Holy Names Academy.
In 72 games in the 2022/23 season, Paolo Banchero averaged 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He won Rookie of the year and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.
What is Paolo Banchero’s Italian background?
Paolo Banchero is of Italian descent from his father’s side, which is why he got Italian citizenship and a chance to play for the Italian National team in the 2022 EuroBasket, but he chose to play for the United States as it was his childhood dream. He represented the United States in the 2023 FIBA World Cup and helped them reach the semifinals, where they lost to Germany 111-113 in a close game.
FAQs
A. Paolo chose the USA over Italy because it was his childhood dream as his mother also played for the US national team.
A. Paolo has scored at an impressive average of 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game in the 39 games he played in college.
A. Paolo Banchero scored 33 points against the Sacramento Kings on November 5, 2022, which is his career-high till date.
A. Paolo Banchero’s father, Mario, was from Italy, which is why he received Italian citizenship and was eligible to play for Italy.
