NBA: Magic take Paolo Banchero with No. 1 overall pick in draft
Paolo Banchero poses for photos on the red carpet during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 in New York City. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images/AFP
NEW YORK–The Orlando Magic selected Duke forward Paolo Banchero with the first overall pick of the NBA Draft on Thursday night in New York with Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren going to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Auburn forward Jabari Smith headed to the Houston Rockets.
The 6-foot-10 Banchero averaged 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a freshman last season for Duke. He also contributed defensively with 41 steals and 36 blocked shots.
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Banchero is the fourth Duke player to be the No. 1 overall pick. The others are Elton Brand (1999 by the Chicago Bulls), Kyrie Irving (2011, Cleveland Cavaliers) and Zion Williamson (2019, New Orleans Pelicans).
“I can’t believe what just happened, honestly,” Banchero said on ABC. “I never would have thought this would happen. I wanted to be in the NBA; I didn’t know I would be (No. 1). This is unbelievable, and I can’t speak right now.”
This was the fourth time the Magic selected first overall in the NBA Draft. Orlando drafted Shaquille O’Neal in 1992, Chris Webber (traded to the Golden State Warriors) in 1993 and Dwight Howard in 2004.
The Magic went 22-60 last season, the second-worst record in the NBA. Orlando won the right to pick first in the draft lottery.
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