It takes a special and talented player, like a Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Grant Hill, and so on, to garner that confidence. Paolo Banchero (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com) Bossi : Give me No. And his track record of having future NBA lottery picks feeds off itself, leading to more talent joining the Blue Devils each year. “He would just tell me, Hey, I’m watching some NBA games and I’m thinking about you, watching LeBron (James) and Luka (Doncic) and other players who just have freedom, can get the ball and do what they felt was best in that moment. Banchero has the body and size of a forward but has the ball skills of a guard. Krzyzewski, who turns 74 in February, remains a major reason why top recruits continue to flock to Duke. Banchero should become an immediate starter for the Blue Devils and is a potential first-round pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He was drafted 5th overall by Alaska in the 2014 PBA draft . Paolo Banchero, the No. Watching NBA games is a different experience these days for Paolo Banchero. Paolo Banchero. Still, Banchero’s commitment continues Duke’s long track record of attracting high school stars projected as future NBA lottery picks. SEATTLE (USA) - Paolo Banchero is only 17 years of age but already appears to have the world at his feet. Christopher Banchero (born January 24, 1989) is an American-born Filipino-Italian professional basketball player for the Magnolia Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Twitter: http://bit.ly/2zHv7dJ Instagram: http://bit.ly/2inVlI4 Facebook: http://bit.ly/2zNPZNQ The Blue Devils have also received a commitment from A.J. Paolo Banchero Skillset. 16 prospect. If you were composing a wishlist of sought-after characteristics in a modern-day positionless frontcourt player, that list might look something like this: positional size and versatility, high-level basketball IQ, shooting touch, passing feel, defensive awareness, and the ability to protect the rim as well as guard the pick-and-roll. The Blue Devils landed a commitment from five-star forward Paolo Banchero on Thursday, their second five-star commitment in the 2021 class. Duke beat Syracuse 97-88. In the video of the star-studded scrimmage, Chriss is featured during a putback rebound and a drive to the basket. Since then, I have worked for medical and financial media companies and written freelance sports articles for the New York Times, USA Today, Vice Sports, Bleacher Report and numerous other publications and websites. 2021 Mock Draft; 2022 Mock Draft 5-Star Corner: Patrick Baldwin Jr. Interview, 2020 NBA Draft Results, Grades and Instant Analysis, The Elite 25 – The Top 25 Prospects in High School Basketball, 2020 NBA Draft Big Board, Mid November Edition. Patrick Baldwin, the projected No. There’s a good chance that he would be the best player on the team, and would likely be a top 5 draft pick. The 247Sports recruiting analysts project Baldwin, Jr., will sign with the Blue Devils, while they are less certain about Keels, who has also received scholarships from Virginia, Villanova, Ohio State, Michigan and numerous other colleges. “He’s coached some of the best players to ever play the game, he’s won championships, he’s done everything. NBA Draft 2020. He’s got a solid build but also has good burst and a quick first step. Banchero joins Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) forward A.J. I’m just going to get so much better for however long I’m there. I think it’s going to be great.”. He has an aggressive style of play and is almost unstoppable in transition. 4 overall recruit in the 2021 class, announced he’s down to six programs. The senior-to-be projects high on 2022 NBA Draft Boards. 4 overall Chet Holmgren – who Corey did a great update with earlier this week – here. Paolo Banchero Recruiting. Follow Us On Social Media! All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Ambitious Banchero waits in the wings for Italy. Also touch on his stellar yet brief football career! Banchero, for his part, told Biancardi that he chose Duke in large part because coach Mike Krzyzewski vowed that he would allow Banchero to be a versatile player on both ends of the court. “From the first day I met him in person on my visit to now talking to him on the phone and stuff, it don’t get no better than coach K,” Banchero told Biancardi. The 2021 NBA Draft will be way better than the 2020 draft 1 prospect, and Trevor Keels, a 6-foot-5 guard and the No. Paolo fits the mold of a modern day 4-man with his advanced skill level, offensive versatility and ability to stretch the floor. He has won 78.8% of his games and five national titles at Duke and has the most career victories (1,157) in NCAA Division 1 history. Duke lands another elite level talent in Paolo Banchero, who is a highly talented scorer from both inside and out and is an elite level prospect who is on a fast track to the NBA. 3-ranked prospect in 2021, committed to the Duke Blue Devils on Thursday. Paolo Banchero - O'Dea - 2019 NBPA Top 100 Camp Interview (3:36) Paolo Banchero - O'Dea - 2019 NBPA Top 100 Camp Interview. Likes to operate in the mid-post but can also initiate the offense from up top. The fellas at BTST sit down with one of the best high school basketball players in the nation! Banchero, a 6-foot-9 forward, has yet to begin his senior year at O’Dea High School in Seattle, and he can’t officially sign with the Blue Devils until November. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus). Banchero, who is … The top name on Coach Cal’s recruiting board, five-star power forward Paolo Banchero, surprised his fans and followers with a commitment Thursday afternoon. Paolo fits the mold of a modern day 4-man with his advanced skill level, offensive versatility and ability to stretch the floor. basketball game against Syracuse in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. I grew up in Rhode Island, graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and now live in the Philadelphia suburbs with my wife and two daughters. Along with the NBA talent, Washington’s Naz Carter and consensus five-star recruit Paolo Banchero were on the court for the run. If it is Cal please explain the many many more players that went down in their draft projection from HS after playing for Cal for a year or more. Draft Notes. Has lots of natural strength and a low center of gravity. Banchero's mother, Rhonda (née Smith), played college basketball for Washington, leaving as the program's all-time scoring leader. I think I’m going to be used all over the floor. 9/7/2020 Hometown Seattle, Wash. School O'Dea High School; Position Center; Status Signed Duke 08/20/2020 Scout Grade. Big man Chet Holmgren is their early projected top pick, while a pair of Duke commits – Paolo Banchero and Adrian Griffin Jr. – are in the top four. Not only does he already have an interesting group of schools including Georgetown , Gonzaga, Memphis , Minnesota , North Carolina , Ohio State and many others recruiting him, he’s pretty unique. Griffin, a 6-foot-7 forward from Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains, N.Y., and the sixth ranked player in the class. She was a third-round selection in the 2000 WNBA draft and played professionally in the American Basketball League and overseas, before becoming a basketball coach at Holy Names Academy in Seattle. And for the 2021 draft, ESPN has two incoming Duke freshman (forward Jalen Johnson at seventh and point guard D.J. Shawn Krest Aug 20, 2020 Duke showed that reports of its recruiting demise were exaggerated after 2021 power forward Paolo Banchero committed to the Blue Devils on Thursday afternoon. Paolo Banchero, one of the nation's most highly regarded basketball players, attends O'Dea High School, just four miles from the University of Washington, where his mother was a standout player. Paolo can play bully-ball and power his way to the rim, taking the defender for a ride and finishing through contact. He is a 6-8 220 5-star power forward who plays for O Dea high school in Seattle, Washington. From Seattle's own, O'Dea high school, Paolo Banchero. Steward at 21st) as first round selections. I was a staff writer in the Sacramento Bee's sports department for four years before earning my MBA degree from Georgetown University in 2009. Banchero enjoys handling the ball and running the offense and matching up with players of all sizes on defense. NBADraft.net. Banchero and Griffin could join the Duke influx of talent into the NBA in 2022, as could Baldwin, Jr., and Keels if they end up committing. Scores from 3 levels and has a nice mid range game and smooth pull-up J with a nice release. Roster Outlook After Adding Banchero: If Kentucky were to add Paolo Banchero to the 2020 class, they would have three top 10 players coming in. But it's his expanding skill set that hints at a player who's capable of flying toward the top of draft boards. Duke beat Syracuse 97-88. The Pangos All American Festival was a few weeks ago and we got some dope content for y’all featuring Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Mike Foster, TyTy Washington and many more! 2021 Paolo Banchero Receiving High-Major Interest – Zags Blog/Jacob Polacheck: 08/03/2018 Eighty-Seven Athletes Expected at USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team October Minicamp – USA Basketball: 09/12/2018 I think when I get there, I’ll be used in a lot of different ways, inside and out, on offense and defense. PF – Duke – Ht – 6-9 – Wt – 242 – Wing – 6-10 – HSsr – Paolo is a natural scorer with play-making instincts and a quick first step. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The 6-foot-8 Banchero was heavily recruited by Tennessee and Kentucky in … On Thursday afternoon, a few hours before the NBA draft lottery, Paolo Banchero announced on Twitter that he would play for Duke starting in the fall of 2021. Home; Draft. by Draft Room contributor: Paolo Banchero is one of the elite prospects in the 2021 class. Center Paolo Banchero, ESPN's No. Like when the O’Dea senior tuned in last month to watch an opening-round … Banchero's father, Mario, and his uncle played college football for Washington. He’s going to be able to teach me so much stuff that I don’t even know as of right now. The five-star recruit holds offers from 18 programs, which means 12 … © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. 6 pick in 2022 per the same site, is also considered a Duke lean. For this year’s draft, no Duke players are projected as first round picks, according to ESPN. The O’Dea forward is the third-ranked player in the 2021 recruiting class per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. They discuss Paolo"s Italian lineage, and athletic pedigree with his parents being D1 athletes and his mother being a Legend in women's basketball. Duke lands another elite level talent in Paolo Banchero, who is a highly talented scorer from both inside and out and is an elite level prospect who is on a fast track to the NBA. He is the top prospect in Washington, the 2nd ranked power forward, 5th ranked prospect in 2021 by 247 sports. I’ll be able to guard a lot of positions as well as play a lot of positions. Born in Seattle to a father of Italian descent, Mario Banchero, and a basketball-playing mother, USA international Rhonda Banchero (formerly Rhonda Smith), Paolo, who turns 18 on November 12, has already established himself as one of the top basketball … He can play above the rim but isn’t an amazing run/jump athlete at this point. You may opt-out by. Griffin in Duke’s 2021 recruiting class, now ranked No. “Coach K texts me all the time,” Banchero said. But he’s just a great teacher, and that’s the thing I think stood out the most. His parents met while attending the University of Washington. Mike Krzyzewski will not give freedom to just any player. And the Blue Devils aren’t done yet putting together a loaded class. The Kentucky Wildcats are bringing in the #1 recruiting class for 2020 and are set up very well to potentially do it again in 2021. He's a . We had these players mic’d up, we did some fun trivia questions and to top it … RELATED: ‘Phi Slama Jama’ Made Dunking an Art Form. I have covered professional, college and high school sports for nearly two decades. Mock Drafts. The 17-year-old forward is committed to joining Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke program. He narrowed his choices down to six finalists in late April 2020. 10 by 247Sports.com. 6-9, 225 | Class of 2021. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski watches from the bench during the second half of an NCAA college ... [+] basketball game against Syracuse in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. If Duke is able to land Baldwin, Jr., and Keels, it will almost certainly have a top-three recruiting class for the eighth consecutive year, according to 247Sports. Both Griffin and Panchero are projected top-5 picks in the 2022 NBA Draft, per at least one site. He has excellent handles and creativity with the ball and can get his shot at will. Shortly after committing to Duke on Thursday, Banchero told ESPN analyst Paul Biancardi during an Instagram Live interview that he has been pushing two more top recruits to join him in college: Patrick Baldwin, Jr.,, a 6-foot-9 forward and the No. I was a staff writer in the Sacramento Bee's sports department for four years before. On Thursday afternoon, a few hours before the NBA draft lottery, Paolo Banchero announced on Twitter that he would play for Duke starting in the fall of 2021. https://davesjoint.net/2019/07/27/paolo-banchero-seattles-next-big-thing (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus), EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, How Eli Manning Battled Tom Brady And Won The Super Bowl Twice, What To Expect From The Serie A January Transfer Market Window, New York Yankees Finally Re-Sign DJ LeMahieu After Weeks Of Quietness, NFLPA’s One Team Partners Doubles Down On Youth Sports With Acquisition Of Under The Lights Flag Football, Kyrie Irving Fined $50,000 By NBA For Violating Covid Protocols; Penalties Will Total $870,000, 2021 NBA Draft Stock Watch: Where Brandon Boston, Other Kentucky Prospects Stand, How To Watch Or Live Stream UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway Vs. Kattar, Steve Sarkisian Was The Eighth Assistant Under Nick Saban At Alabama To Leave For A Head-Coaching Job, James Harden Trade Should Kick Off The Bradley Beal Sweepstakes, 5 Things To Watch In The Premier League This Weekend. I’m going to be so much better by the time I leave.”, I have covered professional, college and high school sports for nearly two decades. Banchero is the third-ranked prospect in the high school class of 2021, according to the 247Sports composite index. During that stretch, the Blue Devils have had seven players selected among the top three picks of the NBA draft after spending only one year in college: Jabari Parker (second in 2014), Jahlil Okafor (third in 2015), Brandon Ingram (second in 2016), Jayson Tatum (third in 2017), Marvin Bagley (second in 2018), Zion Williamson (first in 2019) and R.J. Barrett (third in 2019). Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN (Insider link) took a look 18 months into the future and published their first mock draft for 2022. The Blue Devils were ranked first in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018, second behind Kentucky in 2015 and third behind Memphis and Kentucky in 2019 and third behind Kentucky and North Carolina for this year’s incoming freshmen class.