Paolo Banchero Injury History

Paolo Banchero is a star power forward of the Orlando Magic. He was drafted first overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. His debut was nothing short of legendary as he scored 27 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out five assists, and blocked two shots, becoming the first player since LeBron James to put up at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in an NBA debut. Banchero was named the NBA Rookie of the Year and selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team.

In his second season, Paolo Banchero elevated his game even further, earning his first NBA All-Star selection and averaging 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. His leadership helped the Magic reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020. In the 2024 playoffs, Banchero and the Magic faced off against Donovan Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers, pushing the series to seven games. Banchero was terrific in this series as he averaged 27 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4 assists in his career’s first-ever playoff series. This also included a tremendous Game 7 performance where he scored 38 points and pulled down 16 rebounds, though the Magic ultimately lost to the Cavs. Paolo Banchero continued his superb performances in the 2024-25 season. On October 28, 2024, he scored a career-high 50 points in an exciting win over the Indiana Pacers.

Paolo Banchero’s Injury History

Since being drafted number 1 overall in 2022, Paolo Banchero has been a star for the Orlando Magic and is always available for the games. He rarely missed games in the first two seasons, but in his third season, one major injury has impacted his game consistency. Here’s a detailed look at the major injuries Banchero has sustained as of November 2024:

Major injuries Paolo Banchero sustained in the NBA

Left Ankle Sprain (November 2022)

In his rookie season, Banchero made a historic start to his NBA career with the Orlando Magic until he sprained his left ankle during the 12th game of the season against the Houston Rockets on November 7, 2022. This left ankle sprain sidelined Banchero for seven games through November 2022 as per Basketball Reference game log data.

Back Tightness (January-February 2023)

In early 2023, Paolo Banchero experienced back tightness, which led to him missing the last three games of January. Although this was a minor injury compared to his later setbacks, it hinted at the physical toll his early NBA career was taking on his body.

Torn Right Oblique (November-December 2024)

Banchero began the 2024-2025 season in excellent form, playing in the first five games with strong performances, including a career-high 50-point game against Indiana Pacers on October 28, 2024. However, in a game against the Chicago Bulls on October 30, 2024, he suffered a torn right oblique. It was an injury that turned out to be unexpectedly severe.

As reported by ESPN, the diagnosis was confirmed the next day after additional imaging, and Banchero expressed his concern, saying, “I felt it when it happened. Didn’t know what it was, but knew it didn’t feel good.” Despite trying to play through the discomfort, Banchero added, “Just wanted to get it looked at after the game, was hoping it wasn’t too bad, but obviously it was a little worse than I thought.”

The Orlando Magic announced that Paolo Banchero would be re-evaluated in 4 to 6 weeks, and his return would depend on his response to treatment, per CBS Sports. Paolo Banchero mentioned the six-week estimate as he spoke to reporters after the Cleveland game, acknowledging, “Hopefully, it’s not a multi, three-, four-month injury. Hopefully, it’s just six, something weeks. Just trying to stay engaged as much as I can and stay positive, take it one day at a time and be ready to come back.” With an anticipated recovery of six weeks, Banchero could miss up to 21 games. This would mean that Banchero will be ineligible for certain end-of-season awards under the NBA’s new participation requirements.