Paolo Banchero on experience at Duke: 'You were like a zoo animal' / News - Basketnews.com
Paolo Banchero admitted that people would visit his dorm room without asking in Duke, he would get talked about and secretly recorded while being in class.
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Paolo Banchero was the no. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft. Coming from an established basketball program at Duke University, the forward had to quickly adjust to being famous.
Paolo Banchero
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![Paolo Banchero](https://www.brazilv.com/zb_users/theme/tpure/style/images/lazyload.png)
The Orlando Magic star sat down to talk about his experience at the "The Young Person Basketball Podcast with RJ Hampton".
"In high school, you're highly ranked but everyone knows you, you grew up there. No one looks at you like this big superstar, everybody looked at me like Paolo," he said. "In high school, I'd go to the mall, I'd go eat anywhere, and I'm good, I wasn't ever going to be bothered. Even if I did, it was somebody I knew.
"Going to Duke, it was totally different. They treated you like a celebrity if you played basketball," Banchero told. "It took a lot getting used to but it helped me prepare to come to the NBA."
In 39 games for Duke, Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game last year. In Mike Krzyzewski's final year being the head coach of the program, the team got into the Final Four of March Madness but lost in the semifinal.
Banchero scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and got 2 blocks and 2 assists in a loss to North Carolina.
"Sometimes you were like a zoo animal," the player admitted. "In class, you'd see them whispering about you, staring at you, I had caught people trying to record me. I caught more than a few people trying to sneak-record me."
"I was trying to be low-key, not going out a bunch, just chilling. Eventually, people found out where I stay. They knew where I stayed, they knew what my car looked like. My classmates would start bringing their families to my dorm, knocking on my door," Banchero continued. "It would be a Sunday morning and I get a knock, 'I just wanted to say hi!' There were pictures of people posting in front of my dorm room. Crazy stuff."
Banchero has been shining in the NBA so far. The young forward is averaging 24 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game so far. However, Orlando Magic haven't won a single game yet and now sit at the bottom of the Western Conference with a record of 0-5.
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