Paolo Banchero is bringing swagger back to Orlando basketball.
After the Magic selected him with the number one overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero showed the world why, earning Rookie of the Year honors at the end of the season. In his sophomore campaign, the Seattle native made his first all-star team and led Orlando back to the NBA Playoffs—a place they hadn’t reached in half a decade. Despite missing a chunk of his third season due to injury, Paolo posted career highs in points and rebounds per game, averaging 25.9 and 7.5 respectively.
Still, the 22-year-old is hungry for more.
“This is my fourth year in the league, and I want it to be the biggest yet,” he told Complex News.
The 2025-26 season is underway, and Banchero is already flashing glimpses of greatness.
While Paolo continues to shine on the court, his moves off of it crystalize his true impact. Before playing a single NBA game, he signed to Jumpman, and back in February, Jordan Brand released his first PE sneaker—an Heir Series colorway featuring his “P5” logo.
To give back to the city that raised him, Banchero recently hosted a Jordan-sponsored Elite Skills Camp in Seattle (a basketball hotbed in its own right) for high-school hoopers with dreams of balling in college and beyond.
“I wanted to bring a camp to Seattle that could showcase young talent from all around the country," he said. "With the help of Jordan and me being a Jordan brand athlete, we made it happen."
It was an opportunity for teens to work with NBA coaches, level up their games, and receive advice from one of the Association’s rising stars.
To hear more about Paolo’s camp, off-season work ethic, and his go-to teriyaki spot in Seattle, tap into the video above.