If there’s one thing you don’t do, it’s mess around when you find a diamond amidst the gravel. The Orlando Magic have clearly taken this advice to heart, having just secured their franchise cornerstone, Paolo Banchero, with an eye-popping five-year contract extension worth a princely $287 million. It’s official—the Magic are rolling the dice on Banchero, staking their future and a hopeful return to NBA relevancy, under the bright lights of his burgeoning stardom.
The Orlando Magic have not been on a joyride of a journey to greatness lately. Think of it as a particularly long road trip where you’re stuck listening to the same confusing song on loop, while your sat nav keeps rerouting. They’ve been so close, yet so far. But memories of their heyday are still vivid. Back when Dwight Howard was their main attraction, as unstoppable and invincible as an animated superhero, those were times Orlando fans cherish. Those were also times when the Magic danced with title contenders regularly. But nostalgia meets its end when reality kicks in. To reclaim their place near the summit, the Magic know they need star power, and Banchero looks every bit the part.
With his roots hailing from the coffee-drenched, tech-savvy metropolis of Seattle, Banchero brings West Coast flair to the Sunshine State. Add his spectacular college stint at Duke to the mix, leading up the NCAA’s marquee prospects list, and you see why the Magic drafted him first overall in 2022. From the minute he hit the NBA courts, he seemed more like a seasoned journeyman than a wide-eyed rookie, promptly collecting the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy with a 20-point nightly average that would make even veteran players nod their approval.
This past season, the man didn’t just raise his level; he built an entirely new floor over it. By the time the 2024 All-Star game rolled around, he was there. Fast forward, and Banchero was averaging close to 26 points per game by year’s end, along with healthy contributions to rebounds and assists. There’s a fine line between optimism and fantasy, and Banchero lets Orlando linger on the delightful side of daydreams.
And it couldn’t come a moment too soon. The Magic have been feeling the playoff blues with more misses than hits in recent seasons, only briefly popping their heads into playoff waters to be swiftly dunked out again. But a gritty 41-41 run last season saw them clinch the Southeast Division title and return to the playoffs. Amidst the Eastern Conference’s cyclonic contender reshuffle – oh hello there Boston Celtics and New York Knicks with your restless tinkering – Orlando spots their ticket to the ball.
But what exactly does Orlando have in its potion to brew playoff magic? Enter Paolo Banchero, of course. Alongside Franz Wagner and the sleek sharpshooting prowess of Desmond Bane, whom Orlando acquired by parting with five tender first-round picks, the message is clear: Orlando wants it all. There’s a dazzling sense of urgency in their move, an impatience sweetened perhaps by long winters of mediocrity—the Magic are strapping on their jetpacks aiming for cosmic heights.
Beyond the court’s confines, Banchero’s ascendancy is causing quite the ripple among collectors, making his memorabilia the hot new commodity. If you’re that casual collector looking to bolster your card collection on a dime, you can still snag a 2023-24 Panini Select Retail Blue Banchero card for about a buck. Perhaps rummage through your pockets and you’ll find even enough for his sought-after Duke cards, priced at a gentle $1.59 on eBay recently.
Yet, if you fancy yourself a connoisseur with a penchant for the plush, prices are inevitably climbing to the stars. High-end card markets watch intently as Banchero’s high-stakes rookie memorabilia tiptoe toward prestige pricing. Who knew ink and cardboard could soar to such value? His 2022-23 Panini Obsidian Rookie Eruption Auto (#/75) is brushing the $200 mark, poised almost like a Mona Lisa for basketball enthusiasts, while his artful Panini Prizm Penmanship Purple Ice Auto (#/99) could cost you anywhere from $200 to a wallet-thinning $500.
So, Magic fans and card collectors alike, maybe it’s time to grab those deals, and fast before Banchero and the Orlando Magic rev up their engines towards playoff pandemonium. What’s left to question when it’s crystal clear? Banchero isn’t simply a player; he’s the beacon of hope guiding the Magic back to those glorious days—and that’s a proposition anyone in Orlando can surely get behind.
