When Paolo Banchero finalized his rookie-scale max extension with the Orlando Magic this summer, his first instinct wasn’t to celebrate with a big night out – it was to head back to the gym.
In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the Magic forward explained that returning to the court felt like the most natural way to show gratitude for the opportunity and success that had come his way.
“I definitely signed it right away. There was no real thought. Just where do I sign?” Banchero said. “It was a surreal feeling. The day it got announced and everything, the day it got done, I didn’t know what to even do. My phone was blowing up.
“Everybody wanted to congratulate and call me and it was like the middle of the day and I was just sitting in the house and I was just like, ‘What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to go celebrate or am I supposed to respond to everybody? I don’t know.’”
Unsure how to mark the milestone, Banchero chose something simple and meaningful.
“So, I had worked out that morning and I ended up just going back to the gym that night,” he recalled.
“And I was just like, ‘I’ll just go say thank you to the game and just go get some shots up.’ And that’d be my way of celebrating, kind of paying it back to the game for blessing me in that way. So that’s kind of what I did. I didn’t really know how else to handle it.”
Banchero’s five-year max deal, signed in early July, officially cemented his place as the Magic’s franchise cornerstone.
So far this season, the 23-year-old has continued to build on his impressive start, averaging 23.3 points, a career-high 9.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game – numbers that reflect both his growth as a player and his relentless commitment to his craft.
Magic Notes: Banchero, Suggs, Bane, Da Silva https://t.co/5eRmaykQOc pic.twitter.com/7bC5DuiR50
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 12, 2025
