The Paolo Effect
As the ACC regular season wraps up in the coming week, Bull City Hoops looks at the journey of Paolo Banchero.
Back when I was a kid in the 1990’s, incoming freshmen, even the most prized ones, were met with a patient eye. Bumps in the road were to be expected. Strength and good weight were usually an area of growth opportunity.
Sometimes, even the blue chip recruits could come off the bench and potentially work their way into the starting lineup, eventually.
Eventually is the key word there.
Fast forward to the current time. A five-star, elite recruit is anticipated to be one-and-done. Being an immediate impact player, especially in a Duke uniform, has become the expectation.
For someone like Paolo Banchero, he was expected to be the best player on Mike Krzyzewski’s last team. And he absolutely has been. Without a doubt.
Sure, the 6-foot-10 forward has had some subpar games. He’s also had some sensational ones. Simply put, the Seattle native has met the expectation that many thought he would in his first and only year in Durham.
Depending on who you subscribe to when it comes to NBA Draft projections, Banchero could be anywhere from the first pick in the draft to the third. Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga and Jabari Smith of Auburn are also notable contenders for that top pick. Each of them, just like Banchero, is extremely gifted.
Banchero is the latest Duke forward with all of the marketable skills to enter Duke, have a great season and move along to the NBA.
The key to his success on the court has been his versatility. Whether you want to describe him as a powerful jumbo wing forward or a skilled power forward who can play anywhere, what he does is virtually unstoppable at this level — just like it was on the high school and elite AAU levels.
The ACC hasn’t shown that he can be stopped with any of their multitude of defenders or zone schemes.
He’s too quick and skilled on the perimeter for big men and too powerful inside the paint for slender wings. He’s comfortable anywhere on the court.
Some folks prefer statistics, so here are some. Banchero averages just a hair under 17 points, snags 8.5 rebounds, hands out almost three assists a game and shoots 47% from the field.
Aside from that, his brand is solid. And a player’s brand is what people say about him when he’s not in the room. Banchero has been a good teammate by all accounts. He’s likeable. He’s handled the media well. He’s been Duke’s quiet superstar and most importantly, he’s been a winner.
The Blue Devils are tied for first in the ACC standings and should win the conference regular season title, barring any unexpected losses in the final five games of the season.
With the final home game of the season in early March, all eyes will be on Banchero for Coach K’s last match-up with North Carolina. And then the storied ACC tournament and the NCAA tournament.
Whether Banchero is the first, second or third pick in the draft, that remains to be seen. But the verdict on his time at Duke has been solidified. He’s met his expectation and he’s accomplished many of his short term goals.
His legacy at Duke is still a chapter that’s being written. Can he lead his running mates to an ACC championship, Final Four or perhaps a potential national title? We’ll just have to sit back and enjoy the final month and see how it unfolds.