Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero recently joined JJ Redick on his podcast to talk about Benchero’s season, his improvement in the NBA, and thoughts on the Magic’s roster. Redick was joking with Banchero in asking who the most sarcastic player on the team is and Benchero said “Joe Ingles” without hesitation.
“[Joe Ingles] had just signed and he was talking sh*t. Like, before we even put our shoes on,” Banchero, per The Old Man and the Three, via X.
The two were in Las Vegas during Summer League in 2023 when Banchero and Ingles shared the court for the first time. Despite Banchero being one of the youngest players on the team, he was established as a star for the Magic, given his No. 1 pick status in the 2022 NBA draft. Ingles decided to go right at the young stud, challenging him in a shooting competition.
“It was just us two who showed up that day coincidentally. This was a team workout and I think me and Joe were the only ones that showed up. It was kind of early in Vegas… Me and him were going to workout together, shoot together, so he was just talking sh*t, how he was going to outshoot me.”
The Magic continues to be an up-and-coming franchise, with some incredible young talent on its roster. Banchero headlines a core with Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner, and more. Veterans like Ingles are crucial to have in the locker room to show the younger players how certain things develop in the league and challenge them to better each and every day.
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