Paolo Banchero On Injury, Being A Big Fish In A Small Market And Everything Jordan Brand

0:00And then game seven was like the craziest game of my life. You know, we was up 20 in the first half. That's crazy. And they just started running it. And, you know, when you're on the road in the playoffs, nobody's cheering for you. Every time you score a bucket, it's dead quiet. It's just a totally different vibe. And I just remember, you know, Cleveland was talking a lot. You know, they was telling us we was too young. We didn't belong here. Game three and four, and we blow them out by 30, both games. And it was like, we flipped it on them. It was like, nah, we're here and we're going to compete.

0:27That game seven, though, will come back and be a lesson when you guys go win one on the road. Yeah. They come out in the third quarter, and Donovan Mitchell, I think, scored like six straight points. We just kind of crumbled a little bit where we just felt that pressure. I know what the regular season's like, but then we get to the playoffs, it's a whole different beast. What's up, everybody? This is Rich Kleiman. Thank you for listening and tuning in to Boardroom Talks. Today we are in Orlando, Florida, with a very special guest, Seattle's own. Yes, sir. Orlando Magic star, Paolo Benquero. Welcome to the show.

1:02Appreciate you. Chorus, how you feeling? Feeling good. Feeling good. Just trying to finish this back half of the season strong and, you know, trying to get ourselves in a good position for the playoffs. Yeah. So it's been an interesting year for the team, right? We were just talking about that off air. You start the year with injury. Have you ever had an injury like that in your career where you were out that type of time frame? No, no. I really hadn't had anything worse than a sprained ankle. my whole career leading up. So it was a huge adjustment. I missed, I think, 34 games out for over two months.

1:39And, yeah, it was challenging. I never had to deal with anything like that. So it was a different year this year for sure. You're young, so you obviously know you'll be back and that this is just part of the journey. But in terms of, like, stepping back from the game and watching your own team play or watching film, was there something you took or something that that time frame in some ways was a blessing in terms of when you returned to the court? Yeah, I think it just allowed me to see the game in a different lens. You know, I think at first it was kind of sucked because I wanted to be out there and it was so early in the season.

2:17You know, it felt like I didn't even get to really start the season, you know, because of how early I got hurt. But as I kept going, I just tried to dive into more film, tried to help guys that was out there, you know, try to give them advice, whether it was in the middle of the game or in the film session. So I think it just allowed me to kind of sit back, let other aspects of my basketball knowledge grow in terms of just film study, game plans. I'm seeing from the bench how teams are adjusting to us, what we're doing to combat those adjustments. So it definitely helped me in those ways. And there was a period that you were out where the team actually was overachieving in a lot of ways, had some big wins on the road.

2:58as a for a young team like did you start to see the development with you out of the game of some of the guys as well yeah for sure I mean I think one player for sure it was Franz you know I think Franz like when I went out you know he was kind of forced to you know carry an even heavier load and I mean he took it on it and didn't you know lose a stride at all you know his all his numbers went up he's having a career year and he's been great you know this whole year so just seeing him take that step, you know, because everybody here, myself included, knows how good he is. And so being able to see him kind of take that step and really play at a, you know, all-star level was really dope to see.

3:37And then he ended up going down with the same injury that I had, which was a little eerie for me. It just, you know, it just was crazy because I thought my injury was like really, you know, unique and like kind of weird. And so to see him do the same injury on the same side, it messed me up a little bit. But, you know, I think, you know, now that we're both back we're just trying to you know build back that chemistry yeah and then jalen's out um and it's interesting because like you guys went seven games with cleveland in the first round last year right and you see the way cleveland came out and how this season's been for them and i think everyone thought that this year would be this next progression but then injuries hit yeah how do you guys see yourselves staying together as a team is the morale and the energy around the team still positive understanding that this this year has just been more complicated i think you know one thing about the playoffs is like it's a new season and so you know we just want to get there to be able to kind of reset and try to make a run um and not having jaylen obviously is going to be it's going to be really tough because you know that dude he do you know a lot for the team in terms of just his energy and then you know the the way he elevates us on on both sides of the ball, defense, and offense.

4:47Not having him is going to be tough, but, you know, we want him to get healthy. You know, he's a guy that is going to be here for a long time, and, you know, we just want to see him get back to 100%, you know, because we know every time he's out there, you know, he's putting his body on the line. He's doing whatever he can to help us win. So, you know, puts more on me and Fran's shoulders and other guys, too, to step up. But, you know, like I said, we just want to get there to the postseason, hopefully in good standing so that we can reset and just try our best to make a push and like you said finish strong.

5:21Yeah, and I think like you've seen the pattern in the league the last few years starting with Denver and Minnesota that continuity is starting to be the key to success in the league. So I would imagine this is part of the journey and you've got to feel positive about the idea that like you are a young team, that you're growing and this year was a challenge that you'll learn from. But do you agree that, you know, in today's day when you see these teams that are succeeding now, it's about sticking together and keeping the team together? Yeah, I think, you know, if you look at the last few champions, I think they've all had a core group of guys that have been together.

5:55I think Boston with Jalen and Jason Tatum and then Denver having, you know, Maul Murray, Jokic, Michael Porter, kind of those guys staying together and going through, you know, playoff losses and just building after year after year. You know, I think that's kind of how I see it going here where, you know, last year was our first year in the postseason. You know, we made some noise, came up short. And this year has been different. You know, we've been hurt by injuries, but I think that's just part of the process and something that, you know, you got to go through. And, you know, I think in the future, you know, the only these experiences only make it better and hopefully be able to make runs in the future.

6:34Yeah, definitely. I mean, did you did you think Cleveland had this type of potential coming off of last year, coming off of that series? You know, I think when you look at Cleveland, you know, I think the one thing I noticed, like playing in a seven game series was like they didn't have many weaknesses. You know, they got a hell of a backcourt and a hell of a frontcourt. And so when you got elite guards and elite bigs, I mean, that's a recipe for success. And so, you know, now they've made a couple of trades, got some more depth, you know, on the wings. And, you know, now they're arguably the best team in the NBA.

7:05And so, you know, you can kind of see that last year, which is how they play. And obviously, I think guys got better. I think they, you know, switched up some of the stuff they do. They let Mobley kind of open his game up a little bit, which I think, you know, kind of opened their whole team up, you know. And so and you can tell just by playing against them, you know, they all want to see each other do well. You know, they don't really care who's the leading scorer or who's the guy going off. I think they just want to do whatever it takes for them to win. And so they did, you know, they improved a lot.

7:35I mean, there's obviously, you know, a few great teams at the top, Celtics, Cavs, Oklahoma City. but I think everyone feels like there's a lot of teams that are in play this year. Is there like a pattern that you think is happening now where there's just going to be a lot more competition across the board? Teams are getting younger. They're getting more athletic. I think it's an interesting point right now in the league where you've got these kind of legends who've been here since the early 2000s, and they're still playing at a high level, still carrying their teams, and they still want to win.

8:05They're still competitive as ever. I mean, shit, Steph just had 56 on us, and he's 36, and he's still trying to make a run. So you got those guys, that group, and then you got like a secondary group where it's the Giannis, the Jokic, you know, those type of guys, Shea. And then there's like the 20, 23, 20, 23 and under group where it's like the me, the aunt, Mobley, Cunningham. Like it's just a bunch of us where we're all hungry to get to where those guys are at and start competing with those guys. And we're all on different teams. And so I think it is interesting because the league's going to get younger.

8:41There's a lot of good talent that's, you know, coming out of college, coming out of high school. And so it's just going to be interesting to see, like, where it all ends up and, you know, just how these teams end up being built, you know, in these next few years and who's able to kind of, you know, mold together and create a team that can make runs. Have you started to, like, have a, at least in your mind, like somewhat of a rival almost, like a young player that you feel yourself getting up for certain games or even some of the old heads, like you said. No, I mean, I'm a guy like I get up. Anytime I got a matchup, you know, I'm getting up.

9:16You know, I wouldn't say it's one guy yet. You know, I do kind of want that, though. You know, I do kind of eventually want that one guy that I know I can go at it with, and I know that I'm going to see him, you know, in the playoffs or when it matters most. But right now it's really anybody. Anytime I see whether it's a KD or Bron or it's, you know, Giannis or Jokic or Jason Tatum, you know, I'm getting up for those matchups. because, you know, I just want to be looked at in that same regard. I want to, you know, compete with those guys, you know, for, you know, not only championships, but for MVPs as well.

9:47So, yeah, there's a lot of matchups that I look forward to. What did you think of what Bron said about Ant's comment about being the face of the league and how being the face of the league today comes with more than it probably did in the past? And also, I think one thing that came out of that conversation a little bit was when there was faces of the league historically, it was because we knew so few of the players, like, on the mainstream level, where today there's 50 NBA guys that people know all over the world. Do you in some way feel the same way? You think that's just shifted now, that there is not one face of this league?

10:23Yeah, I mean, I think there is some truth to it. I think, you know, I mean, I feel like I'm a basketball historian. I've always studied the game. And so, like you said, you know, in the 80s and 90s, there wasn't that many NBA players that were known around the world. And so when Michael Jordan came, you know, after Bird and Magic, like he kind of took it over and became just the face, like that one guy who everyone knew. And then I think when LeBron and Kobe came, they kind of carried it. And then Bron obviously kind of ran with it in terms of being the face. But I think Bron, you know, throughout his career, he's dealt with a lot of criticism and scrutiny.

11:00And he's been nothing but tremendous his career. So, I mean, and they always compared him to Michael Jordan. And so now, you know, Bron's 40 on his back end. You know, now whoever that next person is, who they try to make that next person is only going to be compared to LeBron and Michael Jordan. And, you know, as good as the talent is in the league, like trying to measure a guy up to LeBron and Michael Jordan is like ridiculous almost. You know, because those two are, you know, top two greatest. Yeah. And so I think, you know, it is multiple faces. I think there's so much talent now from around the world playing in the league that, you know, you can point to different guys and, you know, kids can point to different guys as well.

11:41But I want to be like this guy. No, I want to be like this guy. And so it creates more of a I think more of a group of our guys. But, yeah, I mean, I think it just has to naturally play itself out. Yeah. And whoever whoever is looked at in that regard is going to have to deal with the goods and the bads. But certain guys want it, certain guys don't. But at the end of the day, I think it's always up to the fans or the kids or whoever to kind of who's looked at as the face of the NBA. Because it feels like, especially with young people, it's like a player driven league. The NBA culture is so big.

12:11And I think even when you hear things about the ratings, that doesn't represent just the culture of the league and how that continues to grow and the influence that it has. I agree with you. I mean, do you feel that the market you're in here has shielded you a little bit ever? And is that a good thing? Is that a bad thing from some of the kind of social media chatter that is so divisive at times? Yeah, I definitely think it's shielded me and I think there's goods and bads of it. You know, I think one thing for me, I always say is I learned in college kind of what comes with being in the spotlight.

12:43I think playing for Duke and Coach K's last season, you know, we was under a microscope that whole year. And so I dealt with a lot, you know, on both sides. I dealt with a lot of praise. You know, I'm playing early. I had a great game. My first ever game against Kentucky in the Garden. I came out, played well. I remember playing against Gonzaga, against Chet, played well. So I dealt with a lot of praise. But then, you know, as the season goes on, you have a couple tough losses. We lost to UNC in the Final Four. So I dealt with a lot of scrutiny as well from, you know, all over. And so I think being here in Orlando, like my first year in the NBA, you know, I didn't play one game on national television my first year.

13:21And so like no one from back home on the West Coast could even turn on the TV and watch me when the year before when I was at Duke, it was every game, you know. So it kind of like made me be more under the radar, but it almost helped me a little bit because it kind of just let me be able to develop without having to always hear like, you know, what I'm doing wrong or what I'm doing right. And people always having an opinion on what I'm doing. So I think I look at it in both lenses, but I definitely think being in a smaller market shields you, you know, just because for the masses, for the ESPNs and whatnot, I don't think it's the most fun or interesting thing for them to talk about.

14:00Yeah. But, you know, I think eventually you can get a small market, you know, to the to the main front and, you know, get them on that stage. I think if you just win games and are able to advance, eventually you'll get on that stage. Without question. I mean, that is the beauty of the league now and the access that everybody has to it. I think as somebody who knows you, who's a fan of yours, sometimes I'm like, man, you're not talking about this man enough. like you're not talking about what he's doing is that frustrating at all when you see some of your peers maybe at times get talked about a bit more when you're having this incredible first few years of your career for me it's just motivating like i'm a i'm a competitor when i'm not getting talked about i don't look at it as like oh this guy's getting more love to me i look at it as all right like i ain't done enough you know i i gotta do more i gotta go i gotta go harder i gotta you know play better and then sometimes you do play better and you still don't get it it ain't just gonna happen you know I gotta force the hand I gotta make these people talk about me you know so I think just even my rookie year like I felt like I had a great rookie season you know and I felt like I was the rookie of the year unanimously and uh you know when I didn't get that I was a little upset you know because I was like there's nobody even you're like what did you see like what what here like what are we talking about um so I think that's where it kind of started and And then my second year, I think becoming an all-star was huge for me because after my rookie season, my winning rookie of the year, I like remember talking to Mike and I was like, you know, he asked me, like, you know, you could be all-star this year.

15:34And I really had to think about it because I was like, damn, like that, that would be amazing. Like I would have to really work for that. And so when I was able to get that my second year in the NBA, like that almost like brought me to tears because I felt like I worked so hard and I wanted it so bad. and then getting into the playoffs and playing well. I think, you know, I did get some recognition. Yeah, that was a great season. But the one thing about the NBA, I feel like, is that, you know, you're only as good as, you know, your last game. You're only good as your last season. So every year, you know, it restarts and you have to prove yourself again, especially, you know, in my position.

16:10Being here in Orlando, you know, you're always going to have to prove yourself. You're always going to have to show people that, you know, you are legit. You are worth the talk. You are worth the praise. So I think I'm still chasing that. I'm still going after it. You and Older Soul in a lot of ways, right? Like it feels like you could have played in any era in the league and how you dominated that series. I think it's just a sign of what's to come. When you were at Duke, was that year as special as it looked from the outside? And obviously playing Coach K's final season. But was that memory something that is just was incredible for you?

16:43Yeah, 100 percent. Like, you know, being from Seattle, you know, I kind of already have a chip on my shoulder, you know, because of what you're talking about. I feel like I've been dealing with my whole life, you know, ever since they took your team away. Yeah. You know, we've always we always feel like we're sliding in some way coming from the Pacific Northwest. So I always carry that. And so, like, part of my decision of going to Duke was like I was never internet sensation in high school. I wasn't like this big, you know, I was a five star recruit, but I wasn't like the guy. and so I wanted to go to Duke to be on the biggest stage to play for the best coach you know to to have a chance to be in the best conference and just be on the biggest stage I possibly could because I felt like I never got to experience it and so going to Duke like it lived up to everything like it was more than I expected you know I still remember you know Coach K you know telling me just like in the recruiting process like you know wherever you go to college you'll be a top five, top ten pick, but if you want to be the number one pick in the draft, you have to come play for me.

17:44And that was, at 17 years old, that was all I needed to hear. He lived up to every single thing that he told me in the recruiting process, that he told my parents. Everything that he said would happen if I listened to him, it happened. For that, I'm forever grateful, and I still talk to Coach to this day. He watches. He doesn't, he's not on social media or anything, but he's always watching. That's powerful to have him tell you that. Yeah, no, I mean, I remember exactly where I was when I heard him say it on the phone. Like, it was like, I got chills when he said it. I was like, wow, like Coach K.

18:17Just told me I'm gonna be the number one pig. Exactly. I tell people, too, just Durham in general, like, it's such a great environment, you know, for a person like me coming from, you know, the West Coast, far from home, like, it's such a welcoming place. You know, you're kind of, like, protected in, like, this bubble where, like, you know, everyone's always looking out for you, you know, whether it's assistant coaches, you know, the support staff being around or being inside the facility, they're always going to make sure you're good. And like, I don't have one single bad memory from my time at Duke.

18:47You know, everything was just positive. I learned so much in my time there. And Coach K, he really taught me like, I think some important qualities for like advancing from college to the NBA and just how to, you know, off the court to how to handle yourself as a man and a person. I had this conversation over All-Star break. there was like an article that came out about Cooper flag maybe coming back a second year right and he won't it's unrealistic clearly but I think that the thing that's not talked about especially with NIL is what you just said there's got to be a player that is going to decide you know what let me go back get this NIL money and I don't want to play any more than 40 games next year and keep playing on national TV.

19:31I do not think Cooper will do this, but do you see, like, why someone would stay? And, like, did you even think for a second about, like, there was no thought in your head, right? I mean, a coach... He wouldn't have let you go. No, a coach wouldn't have let me come back. You know, he told me before I even got to campus, he was like, this is going to be my last year and this will be your only year. So let's make the best of it, you know. But for sure, like, I mean, Cooper is going to go number one. So no reason he should go back to school. I love Coach Shire. but I'm sure Coach Shire won't let that happen either.

20:02But if it's a guy who, you know, is a borderline top 15, you know, type of guy and they have a great experience in college and they're making, you know, tons of money, like I wouldn't be mad at anyone for going back to school, especially in Durham. You know, cause like I said, there's so much support around you is damn near like you are in the NBA and just with how, how they operate, you know, the development there and everything. So I really do think that the NIL can change that. And I think some guys, you know, can stay multiple years. But I think Cooper is ridiculous. I remember the first time I saw him in person at Tatum's camp like two years ago.

20:42And, like, the one thing that just stood out was, like, his motor and, like, all the things he's able to do out there on the court, you know, without the ball in his hands. Like, he's running the floor. He's boxing out every time. He's on the glass. He's playing defense. He's in the lanes. And then on top of that, you add to his offensive game. Now he's a complete player. I saw someone joking around about how Oklahoma City could probably flip 10 of their picks. That would be ridiculous. He could fit in. Yeah, he could fit in anywhere. He's a player that I think fits anywhere, honestly. Seeing him play, kind of getting to know him, has mentality.

21:16I think he fits anywhere. I think the one thing about the NBA that I learned is that it's a lot more games. It's a lot more travel. It's a lot more in your body. and so it's hard to do everything on the court every single game, right? Like, you know, you see guys who are offensive superstars, defensive stars, and there's like the two-way stars, but like how many elite, elite two-way guys are there out there? Yeah. You know what I'm saying? So I think for him it's just wherever he goes, you know, finding, you know, what is it going to be that I'm going to be good at every single night, you know?

21:52I know I'm a defender. I know I'm going to be able to guard the best player. But if you're the best player on offense, your coach is not going to want you to guard the best player. And so that's just the NBA. And so I think him just coming in and learning. But I think him coming in, he's going to be a walking, you know, 16, 5-5 out the gate, you know, just off of his instincts and the way he plays. So you build on that, you develop that, that turns into 25-7-7, you know, if he just develops the right way. So I think he'll be as good as he wants to be. Shire, you know, Shire's a great coach. And I think Shire's done a really good job of, one, you know, playing to his strengths out there.

22:29You know, whenever I watch him, Shire's putting him in great actions. He's putting the ball in his hands, letting him operate all over the floor. And then also they have a great team around them. You know, they have a bunch of other talented players. I went up there after the playoffs last year, and that was when they all first got to campus. So I spent some time with them. And like I would say the previous two seasons after I left, it didn't really feel when I watched Duke like that they were all the way connected as a group. You know, they had talented players, but didn't feel like all the way jailed.

23:00And I think just my experience of being around them, you know, that was their first time really being together as a group. You know, I was only there for like four days and I was able to see just like how, you know, a bunch of great guys. They brought in some transfers that were all great dudes. And then the freshmen obviously are all talented and they all want to win. That's the one thing that they all put before everything else is trying to win. So I think it showed with how they're playing this season. And, you know, I think they should be able to make a run for it all, honestly. Obviously, I hope you guys make a run.

23:29But when you'll go into this summer, you know, what is your process in the offseason like? Like, do you identify things in your game that you know you want to go into the lab and work on for the next year? My first two offseasons have been completely different. Like my first offseason coming off rookie of the year, I was doing a lot of moving around. I was going city to city. I was out the country. I was at Fashion Week, you know, did everything. And then last year after the playoffs, like I did the opposite. I just went to Seattle, spent the whole summer in Seattle. So I think, you know, this year definitely would be, you know, focusing on my body, focusing on getting in shape.

24:05I think coming into the season this year, I was in elite, elite shape, which is part of the reason I was so upset when I got hurt because I was feeling so great. But, yeah, I think identifying my weaknesses is always something, you know, where I look at kind of my season as a whole and where I was great, where I was, you know, rough and could get better. But I also think going to the playoffs and playing in the playoffs and seeing that environment, feeling that, kind of changed my way of thinking of, like, okay, how should I approach my work in the offseason? Like, simplifying your game, you know, because in the playoffs, you're dealing with different coverages.

24:39You're playing a team for a whole series. And so you got to be able to operate in tight spaces. And so I think that was something I worked on this summer or this past summer was, you know, kind of cutting the fat and just working on, you know, phone booth, basically. How can I score in that in that small space? But every summer I try to, you know, add a little something, but also just sharpen all the stuff that I know I'm good at, you know, kind of figuring out now where my spots are. I think in my third year, I've kind of been able to identify. And so I'm going to just keep building on that and also just continuing to work on my body.