With the 2022 NBA draft less than a week away, some of the top prospects who are projected to go first round will be made available to the media. One player that has caught the attention of the Houston market is Duke University freshman forward Paolo Banchero, who many believe will land with the Houston Rockets with the third overall pick.
“It went great in Houston,” said Banchero, who was asked Friday about his recent visit to the city. “They have a young crew. They want to play fast and space the floor. They see me fitting right in with my playmaking skills and ability to be anywhere on the floor.”
“I’ll be blessed to hear my name called by any of the top three (teams), Houston included,” Banchero said regarding his potential selection. “I think they’ve got a good situation that they’re building. If they were to add me to that and make me part of it, it would be a blessing.”
Banchero, 19, led the Blue Devils in scoring at 17.2 points per game to go along with 7.8 rebounds as he led the team to a Final Four appearance. If he is still available next Thursday, June 23, when it is time for the Rockets to make their selection, he will likely become the fifth 19-year-old player that Houston has selected in the last two drafts.
The 6-foot-10 athletic forward with a knack for scoring welcomes the idea of becoming a cornerstone for a rebuilding franchise like the Rockets. He said he is excited about being on the floor with guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green, if the opportunity presents itself.
“Those are two extremely skilled, extremely talented players,” Banchero said about potentially playing with Green and Porter. “Both I’ve known for a while. Kevin, being from the same city (Seattle). Jalen, just knowing him since early high school, going to camps and stuff. It would be fun. Those guys are both unselfish, both seem like they want to win.”
I asked Duke forward and potential top-five NBA Draft prospect Paolo Banchero about the possibility of teaming up with Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green:
“Those are two extremely skilled, extremely talented players. If they add me it would elevate them more and elevate myself.” pic.twitter.com/Rdtlbro9rF— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) June 17, 2022
The young core of players in Houston is not the only thing that excites Banchero about potentially joining the Rockets. Playing for a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach like Mike Krzyzewski, the Seattle native knows what to look for in a head coach who knows the game. He noticed some of those Krzyzewski-like traits in head coach Stephen Silas.
“He’s a real smart coach,” Banchero said of Silas. “Big on Xs and Os.”
“Just by talking to him, you can tell that he has a lot of stuff planned for the future with the young corps that they have, and whoever he adds is going to have it rolling,” Banchero concluded on Friday.
