Paolo Banchero’s climb in the NBA rankings has hit a rough patch.
ESPN placed the Orlando Magic forward at No. 36 in its latest player rankings, a steep fall from No. 17 in the 2025 rankings. For a player still viewed as the centerpiece of Orlando’s future, that drop says plenty about where the league sees him right now: productive, imposing, and still unfinished.
Banchero, 23, has the size and skill set that make him one of the league’s toughest young forwards to handle. But the same issues that have followed him since entering the league are still hanging around - shot selection, decision-making, and whether he can turn big numbers into the kind of efficiency that changes a team’s ceiling.
The production has been there. So has the playoff resume.
The 2022 No. 1 overall pick has helped guide Orlando to three straight postseason appearances, and last season he joined Luka Doncic as the only players to score at least 35 points in each of their first two career Game 7 appearances. That’s star-level company, and it shows what Banchero can do when the moment gets loud.
But the numbers also underline why ESPN didn’t place him higher. Banchero ranked 33rd in true shooting percentage among the 42 players who attempted at least 1,000 shots last season. Orlando, meanwhile, has never finished higher than No. 18 in offensive efficiency during his career.
ESPN projects him for 23.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists this season, which keeps him in clear All-Star territory on paper. The bigger question is whether he can turn that production into more complete impact, especially with the Magic coming off three straight first-round exits.
That pressure has made this a make-or-break season in Orlando, and the conversation around Banchero reflects it. Full Court Magic Host and Roundtable contributor Don Strouble recently weighed in on the Magic star’s trajectory and growth.
“All-Star has to be the floor-that's the bare minimum here. This is someone who had comparisons to LeBron James just in the way that he would play at the peak of his young powers, and some of the plays that he made when he came into the league as a leaner kind of power forward style player.
He was drawing comparisons to LeBron. Now, I wrote about this recently, too: nobody is LeBron.
The type of longevity that he has put forward over nearly a generation's worth of time of playing NBA basketball may never get replicated again.”
“Paolo can do his best to try and recapture some of those comparisons. By slimming down and building muscle, it's hard to stop a 6'10" frame of his skill caliber when he's at his best.
There were times last year where he looked slow and indecisive. The good thing about Paolo is he acknowledged all of his shortcomings-he acknowledged why he didn't become an All-Star, and he acknowledged when he played poorly in that first play-in tournament game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
He is doing the intangible things right that great players need to do, and now he's putting things together tangibly off the court in the weight room and in his private practice sessions. Now we are going to see it come all together.
But All-Star-he has to get back to that point, because if he doesn't hit that potential that he is more than capable of, then this team is not going to go as far as it wants to.”
In Other News...
Anthony Black Now Holds A Bigger Key To Orlando's Season
Anthony Blacks rise was one of the clearer bright spots in Orlandos 2025-26 season, with career-best production across the board and a workload that grew into a regular starting role. He started 40 games and played nearly 30 minutes a night, which gave the Magic a better sense of what he can be when the offense needs another handler and the defense needs another long, disruptive presence on the floor.
With Orlando making only modest changes this offseason, the burden on returning pieces is heavier than ever, and Black sits near the center of that equation. Whether he settles in as a high-impact reserve or spends more time in the starting group will likely depend on how the roster holds up around him, which is why his next step matters so much to a team that does not have many easy answers if injuries or lineup needs force adjustments. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Suggs Just Landed In A Tough Spot For Orlando
Jalen Suggs latest national ranking is a reminder of how much his value to the Magic still hinges on both ends of the floor. ESPN slotted the Orlando guard at No. 98, a steep drop from No. 59 in 2025, even though his defensive profile remains one of the teams clearest selling points. He finished last season sixth in steals per game and posted a career-best defensive net rating, the kind of impact that can tilt possessions even when the box score does not always capture it.
The concern, of course, is availability. Suggs has missed at least 25 games in four of his five NBA seasons, and that history matters for a Magic backcourt that also has to make room for Anthony Black. ESPNs projection of 13.2 points, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals this season suggests there is still real two-way production to tap into, but Orlando is left balancing upside against the reality that one of its most important perimeter defenders has yet to stay on the court long enough to fully settle the discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Paolo Banchero Hype Meets One Big Reality Check For The Magic
The Magics long view for the 2026-27 season is starting to take shape around a familiar hope, a new coach, and a roster that still has some obvious holes to patch. Sean Sweeney brings fresh energy to the bench, and the front office has already made a few moves in recent years, including the departures of Nikola Vucevic and Jevon Carter, while Jonathan Isaac remains part of the broader conversation about the teams direction.
Paolo Banchero is the centerpiece of the optimism, but there is still a real question about how consistently he can perform like a true top-tier star over the course of a full season. Orlandos biggest issue may be just as basic as it is persistent: the shooting has not been good enough, especially from three-point range, and the offseason did not bring much relief there. Add in the clubs financial limitations, and the margin for a meaningful leap looks tighter than the buzz around Banchero suggests. [Read more 🡒]