We already knew the Orlando Magic were legit when they overachieved all throughout the 2023-24 season and took the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
We also knew that Paolo Banchero, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, was going to be very, very good. Well, he confirmed what we already knew on Monday night, dropping 50 points in a 119-115 victory against the Indiana Pacers.
At just 21 years old, Banchero is far and away the best player on his team. That team finished fifth in the Eastern Conference last season. And they seemingly got better. Banchero certainly did.
With 37 points in the first half, Banchero tied Tracy McGrady’s franchise records for points scored in a single half. More impressively? Banchero joined an elite list of players that have scored 50 points in a game before their 22nd birthday.
LeBron James. Rick Barry. Allen Iverson.
But it’s not like Banchero is just a volume scorer. Devin Booker and Trae Young had 50 balls before they turned 22. In the win, he contributed 13 rebounds and nine assists. He was 61 percent from the field. Did we mention that the Magic won?
It’s because Banchero plays winning basketball. Some nights, your number gets called to be the alpha that goes out there and gets 50. On other nights, we’ve seen his ability to get his teammates involved and make winning plays.
When you look at Orlando’s roster, it does not scream that of a team that’s destined for the Eastern Conference Finals this year. This is an East that employs dynamic duos like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Paul George and Joel Embiid and Jalen Brunson with Karl-Anthony Towns.
Oh yeah, and Donovan Mitchell’s Cavaliers, who defeated the Magic in the playoffs last year.
But that’s the fun part of having a young star in the NBA. Right now might not be Orlando’s time for greatness. But they’re going to be in the playoffs. They’re going to learn from those repeated, consistent experiences. If Magic general manager Anthony Parker continues to add talent, there’s no reason to believe that the culture has changed in Orlando.
Look at where the Boston Celtics were at. The young duo of Tatum and Brown couldn’t get by LeBron James in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. They have had so many runs in the Eastern Conference since. But last season, everything finally fell into place.
Along the way, perhaps the Magic find a Robin for Banchero’s Batman. Maybe that Robin comes from the continued development of this young Magic roster. Of course, there’s always a world where he learns how to dominate alone.
At 21 years old, dropping 50 points in a game is always really promising for a young career. But we didn’t even need to see that to know the trajectory Banchero is on. It just reaffirms that the future of Magic basketball is very bright.
