Paolo Banchero getting more comfortable to assert himself in preseason

Paolo Banchero will not be the one to admit it. He is too smooth for it. But we can say it:

He is a rookie.

The game he says is not too fast for him as he learns the reads and the spacing of the NBA.

The tape may suggest otherwise. He is a rookie. And there are new experiences and roles he is going through for the first time. There are plenty of mistakes and hesitations going around.

Even for a player as talented as Banchero is, he is still learning. And that learning is evident.

This is what preseason is for especially for a rookie. The Magic have moved him around into different roles and different spots, trying to see everything they can get from him.

That has led to some uncomfortable moments. He has openly admitted he is still learning his pick-and-roll reads as the NBA adds more of that to his diet. He has played some point guard/initiator offensively too, something new as the Magic explore how to leverage his passing.

He very realistically was easing his way into the league and getting a feel for things.

The one thing nobody has seen to this point was Banchero show that hint of stardom everyone knows he can be. The kind of play that dominated Summer League.

He just needed to get comfortable.

Paolo Banchero is getting more and more comfortable as the preseason continues. He had his best game as the Orlando Magic defeated the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

If Friday night was him finally looking comfortable, then things are going to get a whole lot better quickly. And that could be very good for the magic, who scored a 110-105 victory thanks to Banchero’s eight points in the second quarter to erase the first-quarter deficit and another seven points in the third to help the Magic keep pace.

Banchero finished with 19 points on 6-for-13 shooting, including two three-pointers and 5-for-6 shooting from the foul line. He finally got his favored post looks, where he overpowered a good defender in Dorian Finney-Smith on multiple occasions and worked with finesse around JaVale McGee.

Banchero looked comfortable and poised, finding his spots and hitting shots. He got confident and that only made him look even better and seek out his shots a whole lot more.

"“Every game so far, I feel like I have made a huge step in every game,” Banchero said after Friday’s game. “That’s really encouraging for me. I’m going out there I’m not trying to force or press. I’m usually letting the game come to me. The more comfortable I get, the more natural it starts to feel. A lot of it is just me staying under control and doing what I know how to do. When I’m not thinking and playing more instinctive, I play a lot better.”"

It is hard to argue with how natural and easy it looked for Banchero in this game. And this was a solid progression through the preseason before the betting favorite to win Rookie of the Year had this kind of a burst game.

Even Banchero’s misses showed how he was able to get to his spots and how much more confidence and comfort he has. Seeing him take a few composed step-back jumpers to keep bigger defenders off balance just shows how quickly he can dig into his bag. And how easy it can be for him to score.

Nobody was ever worried about Banchero and some of his struggles through his first pair of games. The Magic were always layering things on for Banchero as he gets his first taste of the league.

"“I think that’s what we’ve talked about with him for quite some time,” coach Jamahl Mosley said after Friday’s game. “We saw him in Summer League and a couple of the preseason games. But just his ability to read the game and slow down. Obviously, he is recognizing those reads. As he sees different coverages and different ways teams are playing him, he is able to pick his spots. When he can go, when he cannot go, when he can pick his pass. Those are things he is going to continue to grow with.”"

These are all the things the Magic want Banchero to learn. And as they try him out in different spots, he will discover where he can be most effective.

For sure, the Magic will put all the pieces together by the time they unveil their full strategy for the regular season debut on Oct. 19. Everything is working toward that throughout the team — from the lineups the Magic are picking and trying out to the defensive strategies and offensive usage they are using.

This was the first game where the Magic seemed determined to put Banchero in those comfortable spots on the post and in isolation near the top of the key. Banchero did not have to do a lot to find his points in this game. It was just simple plays and simple reads, taking what the defense gives him.

Banchero just had his rhythm this time. And as Banchero put it, there was less indecisiveness from some of his early games in preseason.

Even if the decision for him was to isolate and shoot, the Magic gave him the space and he went quickly into his move and into his shot. Nothing seemed rushed or out of rhythm.

This is the growth the Magic want to see from their young forward. And this is the growth that a young star has to find.

Everything for the Magic is still coming together.

"“That’s going to come,” Terrence Ross said after Friday’s game. “That’s natural. He’s going to figure that out. That’s pretty much what preseason is here for to get that feel for it. He’s doing good. A lot of guys are starting to get more comfortable with the feel and what we’re doing and some of the new strategies that we have. it’s starting to all come together. [Paolo] is definitely, he’s getting in rhythm.”"

There will still be bumps in the road. The Magic may move on to try other things with him as they continue to explore his game.

Banchero is doing his work and getting more and more comfortable with each game. That much is evident — not just on offense, but on defense too where he continues to be impressive.

With just a few preseason games left, Banchero is finding his way and starting to make his mark.