this Orlando Magic This Thursday, they bet on Duke’s Paolo Banchero to be their first pick in the 2022 NBA draft.Held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn (USA). Born in Seattle of Italian descent, Banchero saw Jabari Smith chosen as the #1 favourite, just hours before the draft. 1992), Chris Webber (1993) and Dwight Howard (2004).

On the verge of tears with emotion, Banchero admitted he was “quiet” as his childhood dream was to reach the NBA, but didn’t know if he could crown it. He recalled his coach at Duke, the legendary Mike Krzyzewski, and said he “taught him how to be a man” and “was always there for him.”

In his only season on Duke, Banchero averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, reaching the Final Four. The 208-inch, 113-pound forward will power the Orlando Magic, the worst team in the Eastern Conference last season, with a 22-60 balance. He is the fourth Duke player to be selected #1 after Elton Brand (1999), Kyrie Irving (2011) and Zion Williamson (2019).

In his speech, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that he was chosen with the number 1, shortly after reminding the 50th anniversary of ‘Title 9’, which prohibits discrimination based on gender or sexual identity in programs and programs in the United States. Educational activities. Silver noted that Title 9 “was the foundation for the creation of the WNBA” and is an important reminder that “there is still a lot of work to be done” to promote women’s sports.