Cole Anthony was only on the ESPN broadcast of the NBA Summer League game between the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons for a few minutes, but they might’ve been the best of the broadcast. From his reaction to an and-1 on the court to his honest take on the Duke–North Carolina rivalry, Anthony was endlessly entertaining.
After a few minutes discussing the value of Summer League minutes and a few of his new Magic teammates, Anthony got asked about Paolo Banchero. The No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft starred for Orlando as a rookie and Anthony had high, high praise for the former Duke star.
“Man, Paolo’s tough man. And he’s just a kid — I’ve gotten the chance to get in the gym with him a bunch and he just works his tail off. And so I think that’s not what everyone, you kind of get the sexy stuff on the court. But behind the scenes is where the real worker happens. That kid is a worker, man and so I just want me and him — we get along so well because that’s how we both kind of,” Anthony said trailing off.
He had stopped talking as he reacted to a drive and foul by Orlando’s Kevon Harris, who made the basket before heading to the free throw line. Anthony was exuberant.
“My god, Key — and oneeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! C’mon Key!” Anthony said. “My fault y’all, I had to see him make it.”
Anthony then finished his thought about Banchero before being prompted to discuss how he, a North Carolina basketball players, gets along with with a former Blue Devil.
Anthony said it’s all love with him and Banchero — and another former Blue Devil teammate, Wendell Carter Jr.
But he did get a nice swipe in at Duke’s expense.
“Yeah man, me and him and Wendell. They’re both my dogs. It ain’t nothing personal. We better than them,” Anthony said.
Color commentator Seth Greenberg asked Anthony who was picking up the dinner check after Duke and North Carolina played this past season. The Tar Heels went 0-2, a fact Anthony couldn’t hide from.
“I ain’t gone lie, we lost both games this year so I am down bad. I mean they got a little more than dinner from me. They got someone’s paycheck from me,” Anthony said.
At the end of his boisterous, humorous interview, Anthony was asked if he’d considered a future in broadcasting.
He said he wants to play some more basketball before he gets there, but he clearly wasn’t ruling it out.
“So maybe one day though, man. If you want to get me up on here I’m ready, though. I always got something to say,” Anthony said.
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