Paolo Banchero's national team allegiance was a hotly contested battle.
Italy courted Banchero hard with the lineage from his father's side to try to anchor their national team. He got an Italian passport and went through all the hoops to become eligible for the team. If not for COVID preventing him from playing in Eurobasket, he might have donned the blue of the Azzurri.
Banchero's stardom though continued to blossom as he played at Duke and made the NBA. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2023 with his unique blend of power and skill. He proved to be a battering ram that nobody in the league could stop.
U.S.A. Basketball director Grant Hill, a fellow Duke alum, took notice and worked to get Banchero on the team that went to the World Cup. Banchero was indeed a surprise addition—and even more surprisingly was used as the team's backup center in what turned into a fourth-place finish in the tournament.
The young Banchero was expected to be left off the star-studded team that went to Paris last summer. Even after an All-Star season and a stellar playoff series, Banchero was not among the top stars who got the invite well in advance for the national team for the 2024 Olympics.
That does not mean he was close. And it does not mean that Banchero is not going to be part of the national team program heading toward the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Golden State Warriors and U.S. National Team coach Steve Kerr said before Thursday's game in Orlando that Banchero was among the players they considered to add to the 2024 Olympic team. "He was right in the mix to the last second," according to Kerr.
Banchero could be headed to the next Olympics
And Kerr seemed to give Banchero his endorsement as the national team begins preparing for the next Olympic cycle.
"There was a reason he was the number one pick. It was a no-brainer for the World Cup team with as gifted as he was," Kerr said before Thursday's game between the Warriors and the Magic. "With as physical as FIBA is, I think Paolo will be on the '28 Olympic team. Not that that's my decision to make, I would be surprised if he were not on it given his strength, skill set and how the people at U.S.A. Basketball feel about him."
Banchero certainly looked inexperienced and uncomfortable in his tour of duty at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. But the experience was ultimately a good one for him after his rookie season. He adapted well to the more physical FIBA game and found a space in his unfamiliar role.
Kerr used Banchero as the backup center. He averaged 9.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Banchero at times looked like a fish out of water, but the experience was certainly valuable for him overall.
Banchero turned that into a stellar All-Star season, averaging 22.6 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game and 5.4 assists per game. He upped his averages to 27.0 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game and 4.0 assists per game in the 2024 Playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The decision for the Olympic roster was already made. But it was abundantly clear Banchero was among the best young American players available—in Fansided's NBA 99, Banchero came in as the No. 8 forward in the league.
Kerr said ultimately the decision came down to roster construction with the other stars that were on the roster. They opted for more guard play than frontcourt. Things worked out for Team USA, winning the gold medal in an epic showdown with France in the final.
Who knows where they and the league will be in four years? Let alone in three years for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.
For now, Banchero is trying to regain his star status after returning from a torn right oblique this season.
He is averaging 23.0 points per game (still an increase over last year) but has seen his efficiency drop to 41.9 percent shooting overall and 29.3 percent from three entering Thursday's game. Since returning from his oblique injury, Banchero is averaging 21.6 points per game on 40.0 percent shooting.
Nobody seems too concerned with Banchero's long-term prospects. Everyone around the league still fears his downhill scoring and force near the rim. It seems like everyone believes Banchero's struggles this year are a product of missing two months with the oblique injury.
Banchero will almost certainly get a max extension. And if he and the Magic can reclaim their upward trajectory, he almost certainly will be in the running once again for a spot on Team U.S.A. for Qatar in 2027 and Los Angeles in 2028.