Jamahl Mosley has a high opinion of Paolo Banchero.
The Orlando Magic are a rebuilding team as of right now, but there is no doubt that their future is bright. That is largely due to the presence of Paolo Banchero on the roster, and the big man has shown that he has the potential to be an All-NBA player in the future. Banchero notably won the 2023 Rookie of the Year award, and could potentially become an All-Star during this upcoming season.
There is no doubt that there are many people who are impressed with the flashes that Paolo Banchero showed during the 2022-23 season. Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley recently claimed that the young forward is a combination of LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, and Carmelo Anthony when speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
“Paolo is a combination of Carmelo (Anthony), LeBron (James) and (Jayson) Tatum. There are different combinations of things they possess. The passing s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s. The ability to score in different areas. The power that they possess.”
In the league, there is never a one-to-one comparison when it comes to a modern player and a legend from the past. Every player is unique, and it is easy to see why Mosley elected to compare Banchero to multiple players.
Last season, Paolo Banchero averaged 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He was relatively inefficient, only shooting 42.7% from the field. However, that happens with a lot of young players, and Banchero is likely to improve in that regard going forward.
Paolo Banchero Is An Extremely Versatile Player
Though he isn’t necessarily elite at any aspect of the game right now, Paolo Banchero has shown that he is, at the very least, good at a lot of things. In fact, Terrence Ross called Banchero a “jack of all trades” ahead of his rookie season.
“He can do everything. He shows glimpses of absolutely everything. Playmaking, scoring, defense. He can play point. He can set screens. He’s just a jack of all trades. It’s refreshing to see. And he’s 6’10, so he’s like a big dude. If he wants to play bully ball, he can play bully ball. If he wants to face up he can do that. He can shoot 3s, he’s very capable of shooting 3s. It’s going to be fun to watch.”
Banchero has shown a willingness to bully people on the interior but also score from the perimeter. With time, Banchero has the talent and ability to become a complete basketball player offensively, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
Paolo Banchero Needs To Work On His 3PT Shooting
One area that Paolo Banchero does need to be more consistent in is his 3PT shooting. Perimeter scoring is a very important part of the modern game, and though Banchero is a willing shooter, he isn’t particularly efficient. Banchero attempted 4.0 attempts a game from beyond the arc but only made 29.8% from the 3PT range. In the month of February, Banchero only shot 3.0% from the 3PT line.
Hopefully, we see Paolo Banchero improve from the 3PT range in the 2023-24 season. That could really take him to the next level, subsequently elevating the Orlando Magic to a team that is competitive.
