In the final chapter of his season-long rookie diary for The Associated Press, Banchero also detailed some of the ways he wants to improve over the coming months. Paolo Banchero is just the 6th rookie in the last 50 seasons to average at least 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. I don’t think that’s going to be any question whatsoever.” The biggest talk with him is just to have a focus on one or two pieces for the summer, where he can improve in certain areas - because he’s going to work. “I think a lot of times rookies will come in and they’ll try to do everything. “I think there’s so many ways in which he can grow,” Mosley said. “He had an ability to adjust in-game to whatever was asked of him to impact winning,” Mosley said.īanchero freely acknowledges that he’s not a finished product, and Mosley said the team wants him to lock in on certain areas over the offseason. Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said one of his biggest takeaways from Banchero’s first season was an on-court maturity and willingness to play the right way. 1 pick to win the award in the season immediately after getting drafted since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016 Ben Simmons won the award in 2018, two years after he went No. Kessler got the two first-place votes that Banchero didn’t receive.īanchero is the first No. Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder was second and Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz was third. I’m glad I was able to do it.”īanchero got 98 of the 100 first-place votes from a panel of writers and broadcasters who cover the league. It was just a goal I’ve always had, something I had my eye on from the second I got drafted. “He looked at me and he asked me if I was going to be rookie of the year,” Banchero said. Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero is the recipient of the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy as the 2022-23 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year.Ĭomplete voting results and award history: /9oZxZpY6RX Banchero, on the TNT broadcast of the announcement, recalled a conversation he had with Miller on draft night. He became the third player to win rookie of the year as a member of the Magic, joining Shaquille O’Neal in 1993 and Mike Miller - who represents Banchero - in 2001. And he won rookie of the month four times, each of those announcements only further indicating that he was ahead of the field. He had 15 games of at least 25 points and 40 games of at least 20 points, both the most among rookies this season. The former Duke standout averaged 20 points per game. 1 in last year’s draft.īanchero was announced Tuesday night as the overwhelming winner of the top rookie award for this season, after the Orlando forward led all first-year players in scoring and helped the Magic improve from a 22-win last season to a 34-win club that contended for a play-in berth this season.

Paolo Banchero became the frontrunner to win Rookie of the Year race from the very moment that he went No. Paolo Banchero joins Inside the NBA to reflect on his stellar rookie season.

Nobody's Looking by J.R. Miller