After the Orlando Magic’s first-round playoff exit, star forward Paolo Banchero took time to reflect on the ups and downs of his season, sharing his thoughts with The Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Beede.
Though the team made the postseason for a second straight year, Banchero admitted that his journey through the season was far from ideal.
“Kind of how I evaluated the team’s season, it was a little disappointing for me and my season,” Banchero said. “Just going down with the injury and then coming back and having to work my way into shape and battle through those times. But I was happy with how I was able to kind of respond and finish strong. I didn’t let some of those early tough times discourage me. I kept going and, like the team, I wanted to finish strong, and do whatever I could to help us get to the postseason. We were able to do that.”
Banchero described the physical and mental toll of missing time due to injury, then returning to the court with the challenge of regaining rhythm and fitness.
Despite those obstacles, he was proud of his resilience and how he helped Orlando secure a playoff berth.
The 22-year-old emphasized that his commitment never wavered, even during the rough stretches, and he took pride in contributing to the Magic’s postseason push – a step forward for a young team still finding its identity.
Banchero has played 3 seasons for the Magic. He has averaged 22.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 198 regular-season games.
He was selected to play in 1 All-Star game and has won the Rookie of the Year award.
Magic Notes: Offseason Plan, Banchero, F. Wagner, Bitadze https://t.co/BDvqN5TiAh pic.twitter.com/t4g3tUZD4K
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