Paolo Banchero diary: ‘It drives me crazy just being on the bench’

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – At just 22 years old, Orlando Magic All-Star Paolo Banchero has already learned the importance of not getting too high or too low emotionally with what happens on the basketball court.

Banchero scored a career-high 50 points on Oct. 28 during a 119-115 comeback victory against the Indiana Pacers. Just three days later on Halloween, however, he was spooked by the news that he would be out for four to six weeks with a torn right oblique. It was the first time in Banchero’s life that he suffered a major injury.

“I’m a move-on guy for sure. It’s the same with the 50-point game as with the injuries,” Banchero told Andscape. “People reaching out, calling, texting, asking what happened or am I all right. Just all that stuff. I appreciate it because it just means a lot of people are concerned and care about me. But at the same time, I hate that s— too because it’s just a bunch of people feeling sorry for you and telling you that it is going to be better.

“I know it’s going to be better. I’m not worried about that. I kind of wanted to be like that, but I said, ‘Thank you and I appreciate it,’ because there’s people reaching out and they care about you.”

During the 2024-25 NBA season, Banchero is sharing insight into his life with the Magic in his monthly diary on Andscape. Draymond Green, Vince Carter, Trae Young, CJ McCollum, Fred VanVleet, De’Aaron Fox, Cade Cunningham, James Wiseman, Josh Jackson and, most recently, Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal have participated in diaries.

Below is Banchero’s second diary entry, which took place on the road with the Magic playing without him in Scottsdale, Arizona. As told to Andscape senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears, the former Duke star talks about his big 50-point game, the physical and mental effect of his oblique injury, his prediction on his return, how the Magic are playing without him, and much more.

The 50-point game was amazing, man. Just having an experience like that in the NBA, you dream of scoring that many points. I can’t really tell you what it was to it. I was just zoned in from the very beginning and just didn’t let up. Whether it was making a play for my teammates, making a play for myself, I just had it going where every time I got the ball it was just coming easy, coming naturally, just trusting in my instincts. I wasn’t really doing much thinking. It was just doing a lot of reacting.

I realized I was getting close to 50 in the first half, honestly. I was just going. The first quarter I scored like 19. Once I checked back in, I went on another run. And I didn’t know how many points I had. And then, I got to the free-throw line towards the very end of the half and, you know, looked up and [the scoreboard] said 35. And I was about to shoot two free throws. There was a pause and action. I was like, ‘Oh s—, I’m getting 50 today.’ When I saw the 35 in the first half, I was like, ‘There is no way I don’t get 50.’ And I actually barely got it. You start missing free throws.

I didn’t realize how tired I was. I barely came out in the first half. I was so locked in and had it going to where I wasn’t coming out. So, when I came back in the locker room [at halftime], you have all that adrenaline, you’re not tired in the moment. But then once you go and you sit down for a minute, it was hard for me to breathe. I was trying to catch my breath, and I was like, ‘Damn.’ And so, I came on in the third quarter and was just trying to get my second wind the whole third quarter. And then, was able to have a strong performance in the fourth quarter and get the 50, and the win, of course.

It makes you think about all the hours and work you do [in the offseason]. I was out there hitting different shots, going to the rim, shooting 3s, shooting from the midrange, posting up, going off the dribble, catch-and-shoot 3s. It just felt like I was doing everything that I work on in the summer every day. You have a game where it all comes together. Sometimes you just have a game where you might have it going for three [quarters], I wasn’t getting to the rim as much or was getting to the rim but only made one 3. When you have a game where it all kind of comes together, it’s special. That was one of the few I’ve had in the NBA where it felt like that.

I had a lot of people reach out to me and it was dope. It made me kind of realize how big the moment was not just for me, but for people around the Magic, people around the league. But we had a game two days later. In the NBA, you move on fast. And so, I was happy. It lasted for the night, and then I was onto the next. But I was getting texts for probably the next 48 hours just from guys all over. T-Mac, Tracy McGrady, hit me up, Kevin Durant. Just different guys, friends, family, people I look up to. So, it was it was cool.

It was a weird play, the play I got hurt. I didn’t notice until there was a pause in the action when I was walking back down the court. It was in the third quarter in the Chicago game, probably like 2½ minutes left in the third. I went baseline and I just did a — I wouldn’t say routine because it was a little awkward — but a jump pass where I tried to leave my feet and wrap around my right arm and go to the corner. I just contorted my oblique in a weird way. The pass went out of bounds. It wasn’t a very good pass. I was walking down the court, and I just felt a sudden kind of pinch/tear in my side.

I just grabbed that real quick, and I didn’t know what it was. I never really felt anything in my upper area before as an injury, so I was kind of thrown off. I went to the bench, I came out, told the trainer what I felt, threw some cream on there and I played the rest of the game. I could feel it the whole time, but I didn’t want to go out the game because it was becoming a close game and we actually lost. So, yeah, it was tough. And then when got the MRI in Cleveland and found out it was a torn oblique.

I’ve had ankle sprains and stuff like that, but I have never really gotten hurt. I’ve had a few minor injuries, but that’s probably the biggest one I would say that I’ve experienced. It’s something where you just you never know when that stuff like that’s going to happen. I never had to miss extended time like this or be away from a game this long. It’s definitely making me miss the game and miss just being out there. You hear people say, ‘Don’t take your time for granted. Don’t take playing in the in the league for granted, being healthy for granted.’ This is my first time kind of feeling that.

It’s been an interesting experience just trying to keep myself engaged mentally. Obviously, [the] team’s still doing great. I’ve been happy with the way they’ve been playing. But for me, [it’s about] trying to stay sharp mentally and even though I can’t do much physically, just try to do every little thing I can — whether it’s what I eat, how much sleep I’m getting — whatever I can do to speed up the process and get back whenever the time is right. But also, sooner than later, hopefully.

The toughest moment was right after it happened so far with the injury, just because I was in the most pain. And we were still on the road. I got hurt the first game of the trip, which was a huge road trip. I was looking forward to it. I had that road trip circled as soon as the schedule came out. Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, OKC, Indy — those are five great games. When I went down in the first one, I was just watching the team. We struggled those next four games, had some pretty bad losses as a team. I would say that was the hardest part, watching and not being able to do anything about it as a teammate and then also just dealing with the pain.

The person who’s been keeping me up the most, I’d say [Magic vice president of player performance and wellness] Arnie [Kander], our head trainer, with just his energy every day. He knows me really well. He knows it’s tough for me just having to sit there and do nothing. Can’t really work out. Can’t shoot right now. So hopefully we get into some of that this week. He was the one with me when I went and got the MRI. He’s the one that delivered me the news.

The whole way he’s handled this whole situation with me and with everyone else — whether it’s the coaches talking to him, my agent talking to him — he’s just a really calming guy. He knows my mindset and how I approach things. He just always reminds me, you know, I’m gonna come back twice as good. He’s going to make sure I take my time. He knows I’m going to be wanting to rush back. He’s not going to let me. He’s just going to make sure to bring me back when the time is right and make sure I’m 100% up on.

Personally — this isn’t from the medical team or anything — but the way I feel, I think [I’m back] before Christmas. So maybe that’s a week before. A couple of days before. Now, if it’s around that time, Arnie says, ‘Man, no way. You can’t go,’ then I’ll listen. But if he gives me the green light, then I’m going to do it for sure.

I just miss the show. I just miss the league. I miss the games, being out there on the court, in the arena. Having the ball on my hands, just hooping, talking s—. Sitting there watching the game is cool, fun and I’m always engaged and cheering and trying to help guys out, and lead and coach. But there is only so much I can do sitting in street clothes. I can only say so much, clap so many times. I just want to go out there.

I don’t know how guys do that. I really don’t because it drives me crazy just being on the bench. But you got to do it. That’s been the hardest part, just having to sit there every game.

[Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner] has been playing really well, man. He’s just really in control. Franz is a pretty naturally, calculated, conservative guy. He never wants to do too much, or he never wants to take the take the shot over to double team. With me being out, he’s had to do that and he’s done amazing. He’s really stepping into that role, and that’s what you want to see. He just got a max contract over the summer. And he’s playing better than what you’d expect.

Winning five games in a row in the NBA is not easy, especially when you’re the lead player on a team with two of their starters out. He’s done a great job just leading guys, keeping the team steady, putting up numbers and being consistent every night.

(Note: Banchero assessed a technical foul for debating a call with a referee while on the bench during a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 5.)

Honestly, I can’t even tell you too much about the technical foul. It was a weird interaction, right? That’s the thing with refs. Refs talk and refs, they have their own little community. I would think the word on me is, ‘Paolo is a great guy. He don’t ever give us no problems. He don’t cuss us out. He don’t clap. He doesn’t do nothing demonstrative; he’s just out there hooping.’ But was talking to Mos [Magic coach Jamahl Mosley] and [Magic guard] Jalen [Suggs] had just got called for an offensive foul that was clearly a flop. And they showed it on the replay. And so, the crowd was booing. And you know it was chanting at the refs. So, he might have been a little on edge.

But I just went up to him and I was just like, ‘Where’s the foul?’ That’s all I said. ‘Where’s the foul?’ No curse word. No clapping, no yelling. Just, ‘Where’s the foul?’ Like kind of a concerned way. He just looked at me like, ‘What did you just say? Don’t come at me like that.’ And just turned around and boom. And I thought he was joking at first. When he looked at me, I thought he was about to say something and be joking. But he was not joking, he was dead serious. I couldn’t do nothing but laugh. I was like, ‘He just did that? Not in the fourth quarter.’ I felt bad for like a split second. I was like, ‘Nah, I didn’t say nothing. I can’t feel bad. I ain’t do nothing. And then we went on the run after that, so it sparked a little energy.

When we got a big road trip coming up, I usually start packing the night before. Just got to wake up a little earlier. Just pack, pack some outfits, pack some extra clothes for you in case you go out to dinner or whatever you do in those cities. [You’ve] also got a plan for the weather, too. Sometimes it might be a little hot or somewhere a little colder.

It depends on what city I would say, but I don’t mind going to dinner in nicer cities. If I got people in that city that come to see me play, I try and go see them or if I know somebody from Seattle or a guy on the other team, I might link up to [go to] dinner. I’m closest with Seattle guys and maybe my teammates from college. Actually, the game I got hurt was in Chicago and I went to dinner with [Chicago Bulls guard and Seattle native] Zach LaVine and his family after the game with a torn oblique. You travel so much that if you just stay in the room all season, you’re going to drive yourself crazy. So, you know, [you’re] trying to do things like that to keep yourself sane.

I’m a Thanksgiving guy. Perfect Thanksgiving meal? Collard greens. Mac and cheese. Some turkey, but, like turkey legs. Turkey breast. I don’t really eat ham. You get mashed potatoes, gravy, some cornbread or rolls, whatever you prefer. And usually throw another protein in there, so maybe it’s fried chicken, maybe it’s steak, maybe salmon. Another protein to go with the turkey breast. And, obviously, football on, family around, friends around.

That’s when you just throw out all the dietary stuff out the window. Get you one big plate, maybe two, some dessert. It’s not my favorite holiday. Christmas is my favorite holiday. But November, December or wintertime in general is always like one of my favorite times of the year ever since I was a kid. I’m a November baby. My birthday was on the 12th. Then, that leads into Thanksgiving. Then before you know, it is Christmas.

[Duke freshman forward] Cooper [Flagg], he’s a hell of a player. From what I watched this year, obviously, I watched the Kentucky game. I watched one other game. They got a hell of a team. A lot of guys that can go. And he just does a good job of playing to win and not worrying about what his numbers look like or how many shots he gets.

You can tell he just plays really unselfishly for the betterment of the team. And that’s what you want from your best player. He’ll lead them to high heights this year. And I’m excited. Obviously it was a tough loss against Kentucky, especially on my birthday, but he played great. He’s going to learn from all these early games. By the time February, March rolls around, he’s going to be seasoned and hopefully the rest of the team is, too. And they will make a run.

Yeah, I’m 100% a LeBron guy. Always been a LeBron guy. I always say him, Carmelo [Anthony] and then KD [Durant]. [James] and Carmelo, from an early age I remember seeing them on the TV and being obsessed ever since. But it’s toward the end of [James’] career. Being that he isn’t [in the Eastern Conference], you play him twice a year. So, I’m trying to cherish those matchups.

My first two years, I didn’t have good games against them at all until the third time I played against them in Orlando. We beat them and I had a good game. That was fun playing well against him, playing well against the Lakers. Yes, it sucks because I haven’t had a good game in LA. You want to match up with ’Bron.

I don’t know when we play them in Orlando, but this year I won’t be able to match up with him in LA. But that’s the face of the league, man. Whenever you match up with him, you’re getting good sleep the night before and you’re trying to put on a show.