Jun 24, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic first overall draft pick Paolo Banchero speaks during a press conference at the Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Paolo Banchero is getting his “welcome to the NBA” moment before even playing in an actual NBA game.
The Orlando Magic rookie participated in Isaiah Thomas’ annual Zeke-End pro-am tournament this weekend. On Sunday, Banchero competed against current NBA All-Star Dejounte Murray. During one particular sequence, Murray got Banchero to bite on a shot fake. He then faked a pass around Banchero and threw it off the backboard to himself for an emphatic dunk. Murray then brought the disrespect up to 11 by yelling at Banchero, doing the “too small” hand gesture, and whipping the basketball right back at the former Duke star.
Here is the video.
This year’s #1 pick, Paolo Banchero, got schooled by Dejounte Murray at #ZekeEnd 😳
🎥: @RockyPadila pic.twitter.com/SMsiCeRtku
— Playmaker (@playmaker) August 7, 2022
Banchero probably has to retire from competitive basketball altogether after that one. Maybe he needs to skip town and live life under a new name too.
If this was an NBA game, the new Atlanta Hawks guard Murray would get hit with a technical foul faster than you can say “Zach Zarba.” But during the pro-am season, anything goes. Since the tournament took place in Tacoma, Wash. as well, Murray, a Seattle native, was probably feeling extra saucy.
The 19-year-old Banchero comes with a lot of hype after going No. 1 overall in this year’s NBA Draft. But to Murray, Banchero is just another scrap of meat to add to his growing list of victims.