Every NBA player is subjected to criticism in their careers, but their family is always there to support them in times of need; something similar happened with Paolo Banchero. His mother was seen on social media, defending her son, Paolo. She even gave a subtle hint about his Seattle homecoming.
Banchero, who was drafted first overall in the 2022 NBA draft, has been the light in Orlando for the last few seasons. Along with Franz Wagner, he has the team in playoff contention after a long time. However, fans on social media wondered about his growth trajectory in the NBA.
A user wrote:
“I’m worried that Paolo Banchero is the next Andrew Wiggins”
Banchero’s mother wrote:
“Fuq off”
In another instance, the NBA star’s mother replied to a post on X, writing:
“Don’t worry Orlando fans, we are watching from Seattle. Y’ll don’t want him? We got him. Who was responsible for excitement back in O after years of disappointment? I’ll wait.”
Banchero’s mom might be pointing to the return of the Seattle-based franchise to the NBA. The Seattle Supersonics, which halted operations in 2008, has long been rumored to return to the big leagues. However, nothing is confirmed yet, but given Banchero’s family’s strong ties to the place, he can kickstart a new Seattle era.
The Magic is seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 29-25 record. Banchero leads the team in points and rebounds, and comes up big in clutch moments. Keeping a small market team in consecutive playoff contention is surely a commendable task. However, a slight performance slump in the league is bound to draw some criticism from fans. He is barely keeping the team over .500 in the absence of his partner, Franz Wagner.
Paolo Banchero urges fans to be patient with Franz Wagner’s injury
Franz Wagner, who is averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, has been on and off the team this season due to injuries. He has played 28 games, and the team is 13-13 without him on the court. The German forward played his last game on February 11, in which he scored five points in 23 minutes off the bench.
After Thursday’s practice post-All-Star break, Paolo Banchero was asked about the timeline of Wagner’s return. He replied:
“I mean he’s one of our key pieces of our team and you know we need him out there but at the same time we don’t want him coming back before he’s ready and so it’s unfortunate.”
The Magic would want their two superstars to be healthy before the postseason sets in. Last season, they were shown the exit route in the first round, after the Boston Celtics defeated the Magic 4-1. They will hope to overcome that hurdle this time if they make it all the way through play-ins.
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