Age, Biography, and Wiki
Paolo Banchero, born on November 12, 2002, in Seattle, Washington, is a rising star in professional basketball. He is the son of Rhonda Smith-Banchero, a former WNBA player, and Mario Banchero. Banchero attended O’Dea High School before playing college basketball at Duke University, where he made a significant impact during his freshman year, leading the team to the Final Four and earning ACC Freshman of the Year honors. He declared for the NBA Draft after one season and was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in 2022. He is Italian-American and received Italian citizenship in 2020, making him eligible to play for the Italian national team.
| Occupation | Duke |
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| Date of Birth | 12 November 2002 |
| Age | 22 Years |
| Birth Place | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Scorpio |
| Country | U.S |
Height, Weight, and Measurements
Paolo Banchero stands at an impressive 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 250 pounds, making him a dominant presence at the power forward position.
| Height | 6 feet 10 inches |
| Weight | 250 pounds |
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Dating and Relationship Status
There is limited publicly available information regarding Paolo Banchero’s dating life or relationship status. He has kept his personal life relatively private, and his social media presence does not prominently feature information about any romantic relationships.
Born in Seattle, Washington, Banchero reached a height of 3 ft at 15 months of age. In his childhood, he played basketball and American football and took part in track. He grew up playing basketball at Rotary Boys and Girls Club of Seattle, as well as EBC Camps most notably the Ballislife Jr. All-American Camp, drawing inspiration from his mother, who played professionally. In seventh grade, Banchero grew from 6ft 1in to 6ft 5in. He was ranked among the top 50 eighth-graders nationally in both basketball and football.
Banchero was eligible to play for the Italy national team and indicated his willingness to represent Italy in international competitions. He was selected to their 24-man squad for the EuroBasket 2022 qualification games in November 2020; however, he did not play. In June 2023, Banchero opted to play for the 2023 U.S. national team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. He said that his mother had played for Team USA, so it was always his dream. Gianni Petrucci, president of the Italian Basketball Federation, described Banchero's decision as "betrayal."
Banchero's mother, Rhonda (née Smith), played college basketball for Washington Huskies women's basketball, leaving as the program's all-time scoring leader. She was a third-round selection in the 2000 WNBA draft and played professionally in the American Basketball League and overseas. Rhonda subsequently became a basketball coach at Holy Names Academy in Seattle, and taught young Paolo the game. Banchero's father, Mario, and his uncle played college football for Washington. His parents met while attending the University of Washington.
Banchero is of African-American descent on his mother's side and of Italian descent on his father's side. In February 2020, he received Italian citizenship because of his paternal ancestry.
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Net Worth
Paolo Banchero is active on major social platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, where he shares basketball highlights, personal achievements, and moments from his life off the court. His verified social media accounts have amassed significant followings, especially among basketball fans. While his official handles are easy to find, he does not often publicize personal details about his relationships or day-to-day life on these platforms.
Education
Paolo Banchero attended O’Dea High School in Seattle, where he developed into one of the top high school basketball prospects in the nation. He then committed to Duke University, one of the most prestigious college basketball programs. During his freshman year, Banchero was a standout player, earning consensus second-team All-America honors and leading Duke deep into the NCAA Tournament. He left college after one season to enter the NBA Draft.
Paolo Napoleon James Banchero ( ; born November 12, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. Banchero was named the Rookie of the Year of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 2022. Following his freshman season, he declared for the 2022 NBA draft, where he was selected with the first overall pick by the Orlando Magic. Banchero was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2023.
In his first year at O'Dea High School in Seattle, Banchero played football, as the backup quarterback on the state championship team, as well as basketball. As a freshman on the basketball team, he averaged 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. In his sophomore season, Banchero averaged 18.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, leading O'Dea to the Class 3A state championship, where he was named most valuable player. As a junior, he averaged 22.6 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 blocks per game for the Class 3A runners-up, earning Washington Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps National Junior of the Year honors. Banchero was named to the McDonald's All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic rosters.
Banchero was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2021 class. Although he received offers from top NCAA Division I programs, including Duke and Kentucky, most recruiting analysts predicted that he would commit to Washington. Despite the predictions, on August 20, 2020, Banchero committed to playing college basketball for Duke.
In his college debut, a 79–71 win against Kentucky, Banchero scored 22 points. On November 15, Banchero earned his first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Week honor. On November 23, 2021, Banchero registered 28 points and 8 rebounds in a 107–81 victory against The Citadel. On November 27, 2021, Banchero scored 21 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in a 84–81 win against Gonzaga. On November 29, 2021, Banchero was named ACC freshman of the week for the second time. On December 23, 2021, Banchero put up 23 points in a 76–65 victory over Virginia Tech. On January 12, 2022, Banchero registered 24 points and 5 rebounds in a 76–64 victory against Wake Forest. On January 15, 2022, Banchero tallied 21 points and 8 rebounds in a 88–73 win over NC State. On January 17, 2022, Banchero earned ACC freshman of the week honors. On February 12, 2022, Banchero scored 16 points and snagged 14 rebounds in a 72–61 win against Boston College. He was named first-team All-ACC as well as ACC Rookie of the Year. On March 15, 2022, Banchero was named a third-team All-American. During the 2022 NCAA tournament, Banchero performed well, including scoring 22 points against Texas Tech. As a freshman, he averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. On April 20, 2022, Banchero declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.
Banchero's paternal cousin, Chris Banchero, is also a professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, playing for the Meralco Bolts. They both won championships at O'Dea High School.
Banchero has a rare condition that causes him to lose as many as 7 pounds each game due to excessive sweating, which leads him to experience cramps and stunt his in-game performance. Banchero has to take a sweat test and drink a special "BOA Oxygenated Fluid" to stave off cramps.
