When Paolo Banchero first got hurt, he did not know what to do. He said he had never faced a major injury that kept him from the game for this long. It was going to be an adjustment not being able to play. And like every player he was going to be antsy to return.
The Magic's vice president of player performance wellness, Arnie Kander, set little goals in front of Paolo Banchero to keep him engaged only to move the goalposts when his body did not quite clear each benchmark. Banchero needed the carrot of a quick return to keep his spirits up.
But an injury like this requires baby steps. Banchero was going stir crazy not able to do very much.
Putting goalposts in front of him was key in that process. Each little victory was a big step on the road back for Banchero.
"I think you definitely take small victories when you're coming back," Banchero said after shootaround Thursday. "Just step by step whether it was stationary ball handling or light weightlifting, when I got the chance to start doing those things, it just encouraged me to stay locked in and stay focused. Even though it doesn't feel like I'm doing much, it is helping me a lot mentally. Just to be able to work back to this point to where I'm feeling really good and back up to full speed, it's encouraging for me. It just makes me excited."
A slow process
Recovering from this injury is a slow process. Because the oblique is a core muscle, Paolo Banchero could not do very much in the early weeks after the injury. It is also not an injury that produces a lot of pain, as Franz Wagner related.
At one point during a Magic practice early in the process, Banchero jokingly went along the wall for the team's post-practice grounding exercises only to get yelled at by Kander to leave the wall.
Banchero jokingly grabbed his side as he went to watch the team complete the exercises.
That illustrated how careful the team had to be with his recovery. How each step in the process had to be taken slowly and how, once he was healed and cleared, he had to do things bit by bit—from stationary dribbling to light jogging to weight lifting to finally getting back on the court.
He needed the carrot of time to push himself to get back in whatever parameters he was playing within.
First, the hope was that he could return for Christmas. Then that date passed and Banchero was not ready. Kander pushed the date back to January. Then that came and went and Banchero was not quite ready to return.
Each time Kander reset the timeline though, Banchero was motivated by the ever-approaching date. It helped Banchero stay locked in on the little things he had to do.
It took a lot of focus and intensity to get back with how peculiar the injury was. It is a relief for Banchero to be on the doorstep of returning.
"Just being able to see no longer OUT is very big for this group as well as for him," coach Jamahl Mosley said after shootaround Thursday. "The rehab he has put in, the time he has put in, the mental focus he has had to have this entire time just to stay the course and keep the same demeanor and just knowing at some point it was going to happen. His ability to stay the course regardless of all of it.
Banchero learned a lot
Paolo Banchero said he still believes the injury occurred when he attempted a jump pass along the baseline against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 30. He could be seen grabbing his right side after the play and throughout a frustrating fourth quarter for the team when he seemed to be less aggressive.
But Banchero has learned a lot about himself during this period too. Reflecting on the injury Thursday, Banchero mused that part of the injury may have been fatigue. He was playing well and did not want to come out of the game. One of the lessons he may have learned is that it is OK to take himself out of the game and reset.
The lesson was to start listening to his body a bit more. That would be his next step.
That will be part of his process in returning too.
"I'm sure it will be a process," Banchero said after shootaround Thursday. "I will not be playing 40 minutes the first game. Just listen to the coaches and trainers and trusting them. And just going along with it. Hopefully, I am not restricted for too long and I can get out there and play my regular minutes at some point. I'm not going to try to push it or force it. Whatever they have in store for me as far as playing, I'm going to follow it."
That will be an important point too. The recovery process from this injury was slow. So too will be his ramping back up to being at full force. Jamahl Mosley said he will be working to push Banchero to get his conditioning back, but not through the barrier of fatigue.
But like everything else, there are small steps to take that will add up to a big step forward for him. The process does not stop. It will take patience for Banchero to get back to full force.
But just like the process of returning form the injury, it will come.
He is back to practicing full-time and is expected to play in one of the Magic's upcoming two games on the back-to-back. He is back with the team even after sitting out Thursday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
As much as fans and teammates are eager to see him back, Banchero cannot wait to get back either.
He has looked at the game through a different lens. Mosley has included Banchero in some coaches' meetings and has encouraged him to communicate what he sees to teammates. Banchero said this perspective has helped him see the game in a different lens. It has helped him in his preparation.
But ultimately, he wants to play more than anything. That time is almost here.
"I'm going to be super excited," Banchero said after shootaround Thursday. "I've never really gone through anything like this where you're out and everyone is expecting your return. It's a little different for me this whole dynamic of waiting for my return. I'm just as anxious as everyone else to get back out there with the team and see how I feel. I feel really good doing all the drills and the running and the stuff that we're doing live. But there's nothing like the game. I'm excited to get out there with another team and compete with the guys."
The wait is indeed nearly over for Banchero. And all that patience and work is reaching this critical checkpoint. Banchero is almost back for the Magic.