Orlando's Paolo Banchero has nostalgic response to throwback video from high school days: "S**t feels like yesterday lol"

Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero has taken the league by storm since he was picked No. 1 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. He was named the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year, but his talent was apparent from his formative years as a player for O'Dea High School in Seattle, Washington.

Banchero recently shared an X post by "SLAM HS Hoops" showcasing his skills in high school.

"s**t feels like yesterday lol," Banchero wrote in the caption.

Banchero was a multisport athlete at O'Dea High School, playing both as a backup quarterback and a basketball star. As a sophomore, he averaged 18.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists and led his team to the Class 3A state championship.

Paolo Banchero's formative career

Paolo Banchero was prolific in high school, winning both Washington Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps National Junior of the Year honors for his efforts at O'Dea High School.

During an episode of "The Point Game Pod," former NBA star Jamal Crawford revealed that Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was puzzled by Banchero's skills during a basketball camp that he attended in 2015 when Banchero was still in high school.

“Yo, What college is my man at?” Irving said.

“He’s in high school dawg. He’s 15,” Crawford replied.

Paolo Banchero joined the Duke Blue Devils and won the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) Rookie of the Year award before declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft.

In an interview with ESPN, former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski shared how he helped mold Paolo Banchero into the star he is today and what makes him so special.

"When he played here, I wanted him to believe he could be a great player," Coach K said. "So at times, I wanted him to show emotion and assert himself more ... at certain times you had to get on 'em. And he responded. He was a no-excuse kid. He looked you in the eye and then went to work."

"There isn't a part of the game that he cannot be really outstanding at," Coach K said. "He's one of the ultimate positionless players. There aren't as many that attain that level of status and achievement. And he's got it. He's got it. He has a chance to be one of the truly elite players in the NBA."

Paolo Banchero is well on his way to fulfilling the objectives set out by his former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski after being named a 2024 NBA All-Star in the second year of his still-nascent professional career.