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Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero. Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

Paolo Banchero draws comparison to LeBron James for specific skill

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 3/8/24

Paolo Banchero is a legitimate star of the future. He's the reigning Rookie of the Year.

This season, he's taken another step forward in his developmental progression. He's helped the Orlando Magic establish themselves as a team to watch very soon. Like so many other highly talented forwards, Banchero boasts a diverse skill set.

According to Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, Banchero is so diverse that it's hard to liken him to any specific player in the league. However, he did note that Banchero's passing is similar to that of LeBron James.

“The thing about Paolo is he’s so dynamic," Mosley said on Thursday's episode of "The Rich Eisen Show." "To put him in line with just one player is hard to do, because he has the passing ability of a LeBron, the scoring ability of a Melo, the basketball IQ he has is just something incredible. Then the other side of it is just his poise and his demeanor in game. For a 21-year-old to have that is very rare and very special. So he’s got so many combinations that it’s hard to say he’s like this one person, I think he’s going to be his own when it’s all said and done. His uniqueness is special to what we’re doing.”

LeBron is fourth in the NBA's all-time assists charts, dishing out 10,868 dimes in his career. Likening Banchero's passing ability to that of LeBron is incredibly high praise.

It could also be putting too much pressure on the sophomore as he continues to find his identity within the NBA.

Still, Banchero has all the tools to be a future All-NBA player. This season, he's averaging 22.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game, shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from 3-point range.

His 6-foot-10, 250-pound frame also makes him a real threat on the defensive end. The Magic have a true franchise cornerstone on their hands.

If Orlando can continue developing Banchero, and his ability to read and control the game improves at its current rate, Mosley's comparison won't be far off.

Being a forward who can orchestrate the offense is a pre-requirement if they want to be top-10 talents in the modern NBA. That's the type of ceiling Banchero has. He can be among the best players in the league within the next five years.

Whether Banchero and Franz Wagner will be enough to put the Magic back on the map remains to be seen. However, the sophomore's rapid rise as an elite player in the league has made everybody sit up and take notice.

Now, he will need to learn how to deal with the expectations being put on his shoulders. Perhaps, he would be wise to reach out to LeBron for some advice there. After all, they share some other similarities in their games.

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