Paolo Banchero’s Advice to Victor Wembanyama for “Lofty Expectations” on a Rookie

In 2022, Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero was named the winner of the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. Banchero claimed a whopping 98 of 100 1st-place votes, dominating the Rookie scene last year. So when asked in a recent interview about the favorite rookie of this season, Victor Wembanyama, and what Wemby should know about winning that award, Paolo responded, “I think the biggest thing is you know he was the number one pick. I’m sure he was the favorite coming in to be rookie of the year, so now it’s you know he has to reach a new level…”, but that’s not all that he said!

While donning the wise owl cap, Paolo continued his advice for young Wemby, “His battle is going to like reaching that new level taking it to heights that I’m sure he knows he can take it to…” Paolo further elaborated, “That’s just the great thing about being a young player in his league especially number 1 pick rookie of the year is that you have all these lofty expectations not only from yourself but everybody else and so been able to you know motivate yourself and live up to that is the biggest thing.”

The Banchero-Wembanyama Showdown

Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Paolo Banchero, dropped some valuable gems for Victor Wembanyama, the current front-runner. Banchero’s secret sauce? Responsibility! Unlike other rookies, the Magic entrusted him with running the offense from the get-go. He responded by averaging a solid 20 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. While his efficiency may have dipped a little bit later in the season, the Rookie crown was already his for the taking. Unlike other rookies from 2022, Williams and Kessler, who thrived in supporting roles alongside seasoned scorers, Banchero had to be the creator.

Wembanyama’s story mirrors Paolo’s in some ways. The Spurs handed him the reins immediately upon his arrival. Drafted first overall in the 2023 NBA draft, this young phenom has earned back-to-back Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards (January & February 2024).

Even though, the San Antonio Spurs are the last seed in the West with only 13 wins over a shocking 50 losses, Wemby reigns supreme among all the other rookies in scoring (20.7 points) and rebounding (10.3), but that’s not all! He’s the league’s leading shot-blocker, and his defensive presence ranks a staggering third in the entire NBA!