Basketball, NBA: Duke to the Final Four and Paolo Banchero goes back to the 2 of the ESPN Mock Draft

I know Holmgren he was limited by fouls but showed his skills as an excellent defender to the iron and all those characteristics that make him a phenomenal unicorn that is tempting to the NBA franchises, Smith e Ivey they highlighted some limitations in particular when the going got tougher. In the Auburn meltdown with Miami Jabari Smith he finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds but shot with a disastrous 3 out of 16 from the field; Jaden Ivey it was almost deleterious in Auburn’s knockout against the “cinderella” St. Peter’s, compiling a report with 9 points and 8 rebounds but just 2 assists, 1 out of 6 from three and 6 turnovers.

Banchero instead, arrived at the Tournament with falling prices (some sites even gave it to number 5), he changed gear confirming himself as the most ready of all the prospectuses to NBA and able to be decisive for Duke in key moments of matches. Above all, he showed once again that he is already a thoroughbred striker at just 19 years old, a player capable of creating for himself and for others with a rare ease and maturity: very good at building the shot and from any position, from three, from the average, going to the iron, front or back to the basket, knows how to pass and dribble, and has leadership. L’8 out of 15 from the arch in the four rounds of the Tournament is something that will have pleased the NBA scouts a lot, as well as the 15 assists against 9 lost.

Banchero at the NCAA Tournament

• vs. Cal State Fullerton: 17 points in 33 ‘, 7-14 on shooting, 2-4 from three, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 losses
• vs Michigan State: 19 points in 38 ‘, 8-14 on shooting, 2-5 from three, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 stoppage time, 5 turnovers
• vs Texas Tech: 22 points in 37 ‘, 7-12 shooting, 3-4 threes, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 loss
• vs Arkansas: 16 points in 38 ‘, 4-11 shooting, 1-2 from threes, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 loss

Conversely, he showed the usual ones gaps in defense, its weak point. Energy and focus are wobbly, he appeared slow in the rotations and he struggles in the marking on the pick and roll, not to mention that he was indicated as the weakest link in the defense of Duke. These are the doubts in key NBA where the spaces widen out of all proportion, rhythm and speed increase, and therefore it will be necessary to understand how a player like Paolo. But after 38 games in which the scouts have eliminated everything and the opposite of everything, it is difficult to think of not choosing an offensive talent of the caliber of Bancherorisen even more level with advancing in the Tournament and against two excellent defenses like those of Texas Tech and Arkansas. The landing up to number 1 is anything but excluded.

ESPN’s Top 10

• 1. Chet Holmgren | Gonzaga | PF
• 2. Paolo Banchero | Duke | PF/C
• 3. Jabari Smith | Auburn | SF/PF
• 4. Jaden Ivey | Purdue | PG/SG
• 5. Keegan Murray | Iowa | PF/C
• 6. Shaedon Sharpe | Kentucky | SG
• 7. Long Lasting | Memphis | C
• 8. AJ Griffin | Duke | SF/PF
• 9. Johnny Davis | Wisconsin | PG/SG
• 10. Bennedict Mathurin | Arizona | SF