One year later, Martin Brundle got redemption. The F1 reporter made a major mistake last year, mistaking NBA star Paolo Banchero for NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes at last year’s Miami Grand Prix. Things went much better this time around.
Sunday, Brundle got the opportunity redeem himself for last year’s mistake. The reporter ran into Banchero again and recognized the Orlando Magic star from the jump.
“I found Paolo Banchero! I found him last year, I just didn’t get the name right in the beginning,” Brundle said after finding Banchero.
“It’s been a hell of a year. And I’m honored that you know my name now, man,” Banchero responded. “It’s been a hell of year. And you’re great at what you do.”
So, even though there was a major mix-up last year, Banchero clearly didn’t have any hard feelings. He gave Brundle quite the compliment, too.
In case you’ve forgotten, Brundle confused Banchero for Mahomes while attempting to get his attention for an interview during last year’s Miami Grand Prix. Brundle believed that the athlete simply couldn’t hear him.
Turns out, when you call someone the wrong name, they tend not to respond.
We’re glad to see Brundle redeem himself during this year’s Miami Grand Prix. It was an embarrassing mistake, but it’s all water under the bridge now.
Paolo Banchero earns NBA’s Rookie of the Year honor
Brundle was right, Banchero did have a hell of a year since his last trip to Miami. The No. 1 pick from the 2022 NBA Draft put together a phenomenal rookie campaign with the Magic.
Banchero was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year after averaging 20 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game for the Magic. He put those numbers across 72 games during the season, missing 10 contests in his first year.
Banchero’s individual success translated to an uptick in winning percentage for Orlando this year. While the Magic still finished below .500 at 34-48 during the 2022-23 season, it was a drastic improvement from the previous season.
Last year, Orlando ended the year with a 22-60 record. It’s the first time the team exceeded 30 wins since the 2019-20 season. There’s undoubtedly still work to be done, but Banchero’s arrival definitely provided a boost to the franchise this past year.
Banchero jumped to the NBA after spending one season playing college basketball at Duke. He was a consensus All-American and was named the ACC’s Rookie of the Year in his lone season with the Blue Devils.
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