Years Before Signing $50,158,769 NBA Deal, ROTY Paolo Banchero Wanted to Follow the Tom Brady Way

Paolo Banchero took the NBA by storm since his arrival, as his endeavors in the debut season earned him the ROTY. The $50,158,769 worth of star displayed his skills on the biggest stage but the story could have been much different. Recently, he revealed his past desire of wanting to follow the path of Tom Brady.

The 20-year-old showed a strong desire to emulate the Brady way, years before he joined the league. Banchero talked about it candidly as it gave us insights into his childhood and interests.

What did Paolo Banchero say?

In the latest episode of The Crew Has It, the Italian American Power Forward reflected on how his teenage years shaped his future. Growing up in a household where his parents played sports, Paolo wanted to follow in their footsteps. Looking back on that, he stated, “They played sports, so it was kinda just in me,” pointing out the influence.

He wanted to take up one sport in particular, as revealed, “I really wanted to be an NFL player”. The position of “Quarterback” really attracted him during his younger days in Seattle. Interestingly, Tom Brady was not the reason why the Orlando Magic star wanted to go down the road. Rather, the reason behind this was the iconic Super Bowl win of the Seattle Seahawks in 2014.

“Seahawks won the Super Bowl when I was like in sixth grade,” Banchero highlighted. The city in Washington State celebrated its first one-ever win as “there were a million people downtown”. The success and glamor attracted him, this, he “wanted to be an NFL player”.

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Of course, down the line, his affinity towards it changed as he gave the game of basketball a serious thought. Lucky for the NBA fans, they got a gem in Paolo who displayed all the attributes to become a superstar.

Where can he go from here?

Banchero had a brilliant rookie year overall as he stepped on the court 72 times in the regular season. Averaging an impressive 20-3.7-6.9 in his debut year in the NBA, his individual game received praise. It even earned him a call-up for Team USA for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Despite that, his franchise struggled to keep up with the rest. In the Eastern Conference, Orlando finished 13th, winning only 34 games, indicating signs of needed improvement. It’s time for the organization to build a team around their youngster.

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The 2022 #1 pick has shown the potential to become a leading player in the league. So, only one question remains. Can he change the fate of Magic? Let us know in the comments below.