Paolo Banchero’s Stardom Grows While Giving Back During Magic’s New York Road Trip

NEW YORK – As Paolo Banchero hosted teenagers from the Boys and Girls Club in Harlem for a surprise shopping spree inside the NBA Store on the famed Fifth Ave., he could see himself in their shoes.

The Orlando Magic’s on-the-mend All-Star spent part of his Monday afternoon giving back to an organization that’s given so much to him throughout his life.

“It’s awesome. You know, holiday season [is the] season of giving,” Banchero said Monday. “Then for me, just being able to give back to the kids of the Boys and Girls Club, kids who [are] growing up similar to how I did and just being a part of that. It’s special for me because I was in their same position. For it to come full circle and me be able to give back to them, it’s a pretty special feeling.””

Long before he became a star freshman at Duke and the Magic’s No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Banchero remembers his Seattle roots. Participating in the local chapter of the Boys and Girls Club, he recalled being around the club every day, making it a pivotal cog in his development into who he’s become.

“I learned a lot about how to interact with kids from different walks of life [and] different backgrounds. Made a lot of friends there, a lot of lifelong mentors there,” Banchero said.

But he’d also recall Seahawks players and athletes from his hometown coming back to share their time and resources with kids like him.

“I remember looking at them as my heroes, my role models,” Banchero said. “For me to do the same thing, when I sit back and think about it, it’s crazy because it really doesn’t feel that long ago that I was one of those kids. So it’s amazing.”

Each of the teens in attendance for Banchero’s surprise was gifted a $150 gift card to shop the store for whatever they desired. But the surprise went further once he offered to pay out of his pocket for any Magic gear they wanted. Soon after, a few more Magic jerseys came off the wall and were headed to the register.

“Just wanted the kids to, one, get whatever they want, then two, recognize me being who I am, playing for the Magic, try to grow that a little bit and spread the love,” Banchero said with a smile. “[I] didn’t want them paying for any Magic gear because I want them to be able to say, ‘I got this Magic jersey for free. I got it from Paolo himself.'”

Banchero accompanied the teenagers around the three-level store as they carefully made their selections. But he wasn’t there as a supervisor. Rather, Banchero took time conversating with each of the participants, asking them about their interests and getting to know them beyond just surface level.

One of the participants quickly had to gather himself shortly after Banchero arrived at the store. As they began their shopping, he turned to another of the teens and, still bubbling, repeatedly told her, ‘You don’t understand how tough he is.”

Those interactions, he said, are the aspects of these events that he cherishes the most.

“They’re always so loving, caring [and] appreciative of the moment,” he said. “It really just reminds me of how it was for me, how similar it was just being around people who are really down-to-earth [and] just appreciate life for what it is. So when they get to see a role model, they really appreciate it, they don’t forget it and I can relate, so it’s awesome.”

It wasn’t just kids who wanted pictures, either. The store remained open to the public as Banchero walked the store with the teens, and several astonished faces followed. For everyone who approached, the 6-foot-10 22-year-old stopped for pictures and quick conversations with all. Some even walked away with one of the extra gift cards Banchero had in hand.

This summer, Banchero spent time as one of four leading faces of the Jordan Brand’s China tour and unveiled unique ‘player edition’ shoes with the line. As his NBA career continues to grow, so too does the Magic team around him as his squad sits third in the East standings despite his injury absence.

This past weekend, the Magic TV broadcast highlighted a letter Banchero received from a Japanese fan who traveled to Brooklyn from Boston while studying abroad, which detailed her appreciation for him and his game.

“It’s special. The game of basketball can take you all over the world,” Banchero said. “It can help you influence kids from all over the world and all over the country. To see people just recognize me and want a picture or want to ask me a question, it’s cool because I get to share my perspective and hopefully make their day.”

As success has come, so too has stardom. Now, his jerseys are on display out of his home market and going into the hands of general NBA fans. The expansive reach his play has garnered means the public has taken notice of who he and the Magic team he leads truly are.

Banchero called the store a ‘fan’s wonderland’ in the ‘mecca of basketball,’ and the feeling of seeing his jersey available for sale is unlike anything else.

To be heralded in this city, in this setting, is the mark of a superstar. Banchero is well on his way.

“It is surreal, man. I can’t lie,” Banchero said. “It’s surreal just seeing people wear my jersey at games [and] in the arena. Seeing ‘Banchero 5’ on people’s back, it’s an amazing feeling. I never really get over it. I got a bunch of my own jerseys at the house sitting there, and I just always look at them, you know. It’s just crazy having an NBA jersey that gets sold in the stores.

“It’s one thing to be in the NBA, but to have your jersey in the store is something that I don’t take for granted, so I appreciate it for sure.”

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