Paolo Banchero has officially decided on which national team he will play for, choosing to represent the United States after previously declaring his intentions to play for Italy.
The NBA's Rookie of the Year is coming off the back of an incredible first season with the Orlando Magic, and has been recognised by the US national team, having been picked for the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup.
It was unclear whether Banchero would be picked, stating that he could play for Italy due to his father's heritage being from the country and holding Italian citizenship.
Banchero even secured an Italian passport to represent them in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, but that opportunity never came to fruition after it was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June 2022, Banchero told La Gazette dello Sport that he'd be playing for Italy in the World Cup the following year. He said: "This summer I won't be able to play with the national team, but next summer, I will be there."
Banchero had even posed with an Italian flag and told his former Magic teammate RJ Hampton that he would be playing for them. However, he was named to the US team this weekend, where he will link up with a stacked team in Las Vegas in August, before travelling to the Philippines.
The Magic drafted Banchero with the first-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and he proved himself to be a genuine superstar in the making.
Banchero even equalled a LeBron James record in his rookie season, tallying 40 games with at least 20 points - becoming the only two rookies to ever do so in NBA history.
He became the first rookie on the Magic to win Rookie of the Year since Shaquille O'Neal 30 years prior - with the big man going on to become one of the greatest of all time.
Banchero led all rookies in points per game while he also tallied the most 25-point and 30-point games amongst NBA newcomers. The former Duke star averaged 20.0 points per game to go with 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists across his rookie season.
