Duke freshman Paolo Banchero will enter his name in the 2022 NBA Draft. The consensus second-team All-American and ACC Freshman of the Year has indicated that he intends to hire an agent, which means, he’s one-and-done.
“Playing on some of the biggest stages in front of the best fans in the world with my brothers, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” said Banchero, a projected top-5 pick. “It was really a blessing. To Coach K, it was an honor to be a part of your final season. Thank you for pushing me every single day and expecting nothing but the best out of me. It has always been a dream of mine to play at Duke, and it has always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA. Duke has prepared me for that on and off the court. I’m excited to announce that I’ll be entering my name in the 2022 NBA Draft. It has been a great journey and I’m blessed to be a part of The Brotherhood for life.”
The 6’11” Seattle, Wash., native led all true freshmen nationally in scoring at 17.2 points per game while ranking sixth among true freshmen in rebounding (7.8) and fifth in field goal percentage (.478). His 12 double-doubles and 15 games of 20+ points were each the most by a power conference true freshman. With selections to the AP, NABC, Sporting News and USBWA All-America Teams, Banchero became the 33rd player in Duke history to earn consensus All-America status.
He memorably struggled in two outings against Virginia. Guarded primarily by 6’6” forward Jayden Gardner, Banchero had his only two non-double-digit scoring games of the season against the Cavaliers, averaging just 8.5 points per game on 5-of-22 shooting from the field.
“Paolo had a truly incredible season and is absolutely ready to attack the next phase of his playing career,” said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who retired following the season. “He put up remarkable numbers and won awards, but he always put the team first. Paolo is a great leader in that regard and someone all of our players admired, even though he was just a freshman. He is so dynamic, explosive and versatile – a model player in today’s NBA game. He did whatever we asked at a very high level. I loved having him and his family in our program and wish him all the best as his professional career begins.”
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Chris Graham
