Paolo Banchero is quickly rising as one of the NBA’s hottest stars. Standing 6’10” and 250 pounds, with a jaw-dropping 7’6″ wingspan, he’s a freight train with the build of a classic power forward. But he’s also got the smooth moves, slick ball-handling, playmaking skills, and shooting flashes that rival wings or even point forwards. With all these insane traits and being the number 1 pick in 2022, he has turned a lot of heads.

What’s wild is that some bold comparisons even have him pegged as a LeBron clone. No matter how much hype we throw on Paolo or how impressive his presence is, he’s still only 21. Given that he’s already made the All-Star team and some are pushing him as an All-NBA candidate after leading Orlando to the playoffs, everyone’s calling Paolo the next big thing.

How good is Paolo Banchero?

Passing

Let’s talk about Paolo’s passing, which might catch some folks off guard given his athletic build and raw scoring. But when you factor in his size and age, his play-making skills are pretty rare. He’s only the third player ever at 6’10” or taller to drop 5 assists per game in their second season.

Paolo is running more pick and rolls per game than any other player over 6’8″. He’s already taking charge as a primary creator from the perimeter, both scoring and dishing out assists. Last year, he had some solid play-making moments, but this year he’s leveled up and averaged a slick 5.9 assists per game since Christmas.

And let’s not overlook Paolo’s knack for torching defenses with skip passes. The way he uses his size to see over defenses and drop pinpoint passes is seriously impressive.

Scoring

Like any offensive star, Paolo first grabs the defense’s attention with his scoring, which makes his passing even more dangerous. He’s a bruising driver and a willing jump shooter, playing with a rare pace out of pick and roll for someone his size. His handle also stands out—it’s not perfect, but the mix of hesitation moves, in-and-out dribbles, and crosses is downright nasty for a 6’10” player.

Paolo’s paint footwork is consistently impressive as a driver. He’s a physical force who can often just power through defenders. He’s also had moments where he’s played bully ball in the post, and his blend of power and fluidity really shines. His overall physicality is a huge reason he’s racking up free throw attempts, ranking seventh in the league. The way he dominates the paint and draws fouls speaks volumes about his impact on the game.

Though Paolo has plenty of highs in his game, there are some lows, too. Despite his impressive skills, some aspects still need work. Let’s have a look at that.

The downsides of Paolo’s game at this point

Obviously, Paolo gets to the rim at a decent rate, but maybe not as much as you’d expect, given his athletic tools. He doesn’t have the quickest first step or an explosive jump, and since he lacks a great touch around the rim, his finishing efficiency is slightly below average.

The biggest issue for Paolo right now is his shot selection and scoring efficiency. He ranks 35th in shooting percentage, which is a bit over 3% below the league average. Shot selection plays a big role here. Despite his athletic prowess, Paolo takes a lot of pull-up jumpers and struggles to make them.

What really drags down his efficiency is his heavy reliance on the mid-range game, where he’s not performing well. Paolo ranks 10th in mid-range attempts per game but shoots just over 38% from that area, which is notably worse than every other player taking similar mid-range shots.

Paolo has a lot of untapped potential

Paolo needs to actively hunt the easy stuff a little more. He is an imposing athlete on the open floor, but Orlando plays at one of the slowest paces in the league, so he does not get as many chances to attack in transition as he could. But if he gets paired with a high-end guard down the line, there is more potential for Paolo to do more big-man stuff on offense.

There was a stretch in a game against Detroit where they used him as a screener and hunted switches. Paolo punished smaller defenders out of the post, and it’d be smart to use him as a screener more often. He could blend his primary ball-handler skills with his big-man abilities instead of just sticking to being a pure wing.

At just 21, Paolo’s got a long road ahead and a lot of potential yet to be unlocked. The future looks bright for him as he continues to develop and refine his game. What are your thoughts on him?