In just his third season in the NBA, Paolo Banchero has evolved into a formidable force, becoming impossible to ignore, both on and off the court. The 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year is averaging a career-high 24.3 points per game for the Orlando Magic while also stuffing the stat sheet with his 6.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists. His level of play has lived up to the expectations for a former No. 1 overall draft pick — and then some — likely leading to an eventual max rookie contract extension, for which he is eligible this summer.
In his young career, Banchero has also showcased his chops as a shrewd businessman when he’s not punishing defenses and barreling to the basket with his 6-foot-10, 250-pound frame. His business smarts first became apparent when the former Duke star became the first active college player to sign a deal with 2K Sports, adding to a portfolio that included partnerships with Yahoo Sports, Panini, JD Sports and more. He carried his acumen over as a professional, signing a deal with Jordan Brand before he even stepped foot on an NBA court, joining Luka Dončić, Jayson Tatum and Zion Williamson as one of the future NBA faces of the company.
Banchero points to his father — who operates a family-owned and operated meat processing shop near Seattle, where he grew up — as someone who instilled smart business habits in him from a young age.
“That was something that I learned, kind of toward my teenage years,” Banchero told Boardroom. “My dad was a really big part of that. Him owning our family business, his family business, and seeing how he built that up and how he took it from the ground up to where it is now, where they are doing really well. Just seeing all the stuff he had to go through, it kind of showed me what it takes to run a successful business and the commitment you have to have.”
In the latest episode of Boardroom Talks, Banchero sits down with Rich Kleiman to discuss his professional journey, including what it meant to play for the legendary Coach K as a Blue Devil and become the only player in the league to design his own player-edition colorways of Jordan’s signature models. Banchero and Kleiman also discuss polarizing prospect and fellow Blue Devil Cooper Flagg, the upcoming NBA Playoffs, the Seattle SuperSonics, his deep knowledge of league history, and much more.
“I feel like I’m a basketball historian,” Banchero told Kleiman. “I’ve always studied the game. In the ’80s and ’90s, there wasn’t that many NBA players that were known around the world. When Michael Jordan came after Bird and Magic, he kind of took it over and became just the face. When LeBron and Kobe came, they kind of carried it. Bron obviously ran with it, he’s dealt with a lot of criticism and scrutiny, and he’s been nothing but tremendous.
“And they always compared him to Michael Jordan. Now, whoever that next person is, who they try to make the next person, is only going to be compared to LeBron. As good as the talent is in the league, trying to measure a guy up to LeBron and Michael Jordan is ridiculous almost. … It’s a bunch of us where we’re all hungry to get to where those guys are at and start competing with those guys.”
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