Paolo Banchero isn’t treating this offseason like a victory lap. For the Orlando Magic forward, the work is about getting sharper, sturdier and ready for what comes next.
Banchero said on a recent episode of the Stephen A. Smith show that his main goal this summer has been simple: get his body and mind prepared for the full grind of a season. He pointed to the last two years as a stretch where injuries made that harder than it needed to be.
"I mean, I think the biggest thing is just to be in elite shape," Banchero said. "You know, I think the last two seasons I've dealt with a little bit of injuries. And so, being in elite shape and making sure my body is ready for the grind of the season, ready to go the distance and get in my mind.
"You know, challenging my mind with workouts and certain things I'm doing," he added. "Conditioning and just trying to, you know, be bulletproof almost, if I can. You know, obviously I do play really well in the playoffs, but it hasn't been enough."
That last part hangs over everything. In the Magic’s first-round playoff loss to the Detroit Pistons last season, Orlando blew a 3-1 lead, and Banchero still put up big numbers: 26.3 points and nine rebounds per game. He was at his best when the pressure was highest, pouring in 45 points in Game 5 and 38 in Game 7.
Still, Banchero made it clear that those performances don’t change the bigger picture.
"And so, that's always on my mind is that, you know, regardless of the numbers and some of the games I've had, you know, it still hasn't been enough to advance," Banchero said. "So, it's a lot more work for me to do. And that's just been my mindset.
"You know, I'm kind of starting, you know, back from zero I feel like, you know," he added. "I think, you know, we have to take the next step.
I have to take the next step. And so, I'm just putting that pressure on myself.
Not, not in a bad way, in a good way."
Banchero missed only 10 games last season, but there were times when he didn’t quite look like himself. With Sean Sweeney taking over as head coach, the Magic will be watching closely to see whether Banchero can get back to full strength and then push beyond it.
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