The Duke Chronicle Looks At Freshman Paolo Banchero

When James Worthy was in high school, the word on him was that he was a man among boys. When Grant Hill was discussed, they said all he needs is a three point shot. Otherwise, he’s a man among boys.

You kind of get that sense about Paolo Banchero too.

He’s a big, but he’s more than that. He can run, shoot, pass, defend and handle the ball. He’s also highly athletic.

Here is some of what the Chronicle’s Joe Wang had to say about him:

“Banchero is very adept at utilizing his physical strength to move his defenders around in the post and get easy buckets even against taller opponents...[he] can also create shooting space for himself...and he can knock down deep shots at a respectable rate...[W]hat ultimately elevates the offensive threats of Banchero to another level is his ability to make good reads and facilitate other teammates...In transition, he is comfortable bringing up the ball from the backcourt and distributing...[H]e can patiently draw multiple defenders onto him before dishing out a dime to the open man...On the defensive end, the freshman can be a formidable presence....He can hold off centers in the post [and] speedy guards also have to think twice before attacking the rim against Banchero because he has speed in addition to strength.”

A lot of people think that he’s on track to be the top pick in next year’s draft, just ahead of Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren. He’s got a real chance to reach for greatness. It’s going to be fun to see how his career unfolds this year and beyond.