Paolo Banchero

Banchero is a versatile offensive weapon who is one of the few, legitimate three level scorers in this draft.  He has the speed and handles to drive by most big men and the size to punish smaller players (or even some bigger ones) inside with his strength and post-moves and already thrives shooting from mid-range.  He has solid handles and shows some creativity (for a big, but will not be confused with Harden), though he’ll benefit significantly by further tightening his handle. Banchero has nice touch around the basket with either hand and enough bend and fluidity that when paired with his size and strength, make him very difficult to stop inside (whether he gets there driving or posting).  Banchero is also a plus shooter with the ability to pull up from mid-range or to start driving and pretty quickly stop and fade into a shot if the defender is trying to prevent him from getting to the basket. Banchero can also shoot from the outside, although, at this stage he is better as a catch and shoot threat, than shooting off the dribble or off step-back threes (his three point shot even in catch and shoot is a bit slow and loses some accuracy when sped up).

While Banchero is adept at getting his own points, he also shows a lot of promise as a creator and distributor running an offense.  Banchero is an unselfish and heady player who makes good decisions and shows the ability to run an efficient offense.  He has the height and vision to see passing angles and for a player his age does a good job of balancing his own scoring and creating for others.  He’s not the most advanced passer and can continue to hone his live dribble passing and accuracy, but he’s a strong enough creator that he’s a threat even making solid reads.  Banchero is good in the halfcourt, but is also a solid rebounder who is a strong grab-and-go threat pushing the pace after misses.

Banchero’s defense is a mixed bag.  Like a lot of heavy usage, collegiate offensive stars, Bancher’s defensive effort waxes and wanes.  At times he’s overly-reliant on his physical skills and closes out half-heartedly or loses shooters.  When he’s locked-in, Banchero has good lateral speed and can change directions quickly for a player his size and his blend of size and strength allows him to defend the perimeter well and hold his position inside (or absorb contact from driving wings).  And while he is not a pure shot blocker, he does have the length to provide some added congestion inside.  Banchero will need to improve his overall defensive effort and do a better job with his off-ball awareness and defending the pick and roll, but he has the tools to be a good defender if he wants to be.