"He has an opening here to cement himself as a No. 1 pick contender" - NBA draft specialist gives his verdict on Paolo Banchero after first 2 rounds of NCAA March Madness

Duke Blue Devils superstar Paolo Banchero went in the 2021 college basketball season as a potential top pick in the NBA Draft. An underwhelming regular season led to his draft stock declining. That led to The Athletic's Sam Vecenie believes his March Madness performance may bring Banchero back to the top.

The Duke Blue Devils' win over Michigan State saw their star players lead a comeback against the Spartans, which answered some critics. Banchero helped his team turn it up in the last few minutes of the game to help secure the win.

For a player with intentions of being a top pick in the NBA Draft, the performance was vital in showing everything he could bring to an NBA team. Banchero showed skill on offense and defense while also demonstrating a leadership quality critical to a struggling franchise.

Sam Vecenie believes that Paolo Banchero's NBA Draft stock is rising. He had him fourth on his Big Board and definitely outside the top two prospects just a few weeks ago. March Madness has allowed Banchero to show that he still belongs as the top player in the NBA Draft.

The win over Michigan State also means that he will have more chances to prove how good he is as an NBA prospect. With the potential of Duke facing Gonzaga in the Elite 8, Banchero could get to meet another potential number one overall pick in Chet Holmgren.

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How good has NBA Draft prospect Paolo Banchero been?

Duke's Paolo Banchero has shown many NBA Draft quality skills in the NCAA tournament.

In two March Madness games, Banchero has put up some elite performances that rival some of the best games any Duke player has ever had. The first game against Cal State Fullerton saw him do something only two other Duke players have done during the Coach K era.

Coach K has been at Duke for a long time and many elite players have come through Duke during that time. Banchero being one of three players with those stats in a double-double is impressive. RJ Barrett and Jayson Tatum were top three picks in their respective NBA draft classes and argued for being the top selection in their drafts.

Paolo Banchero followed up his first-round performance with nineteen points and seven rebounds in his second-round game against Michigan State. While his stats were impressive in both games, his ability and leadership were vital to Duke's game plan to win both games.

In the Sweet 16, Duke will face one of the elite defenses in Texas Tech. That will provide Paolo Banchero another opportunity to showcase his ability before a potential showdown with Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren in the Elite 8. Two strong performances in two crucial games to reach the Final Four could elevate him to the top spot.