NBA
Head coach Steve Kerr said that Paolo Banchero will get time at center for Team USA
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated09 Aug 2023
On Sunday night, Team USA won their first tune-up game vs Puerto Rico, 117-74. Their roster for the FIBA World Cup is not the typical NBA stars the Team USA is used to having. They have a lot of young talented players who will be future all-stars someday. The 2022-23 Rookie of the Year, Paolo Banchero, is on Team USA’s roster. Head coach Stever Kerr said he plans to give Banchero some playing time at center during the World Cup.
In their first exhibition game on Sunday, Banchero played 16 minutes off the bench. He scored seven points and had one block. The former first-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft is still only 20 years old. Banchero proved in his rookie season that he has all-star potential in his future.
During his rookie year with the Magic, Banchero only played at center three percent of the time. At six-foot-ten, he’s very capable of playing both PF and C, but he played most PF last season. Steve Kerr knows that Banchero has the chance to thrive as a big man in international play.
Steve Kerr plans to play Paolo Banchero at center
“He’s gonna play some 5. One of the things we really found in [2021] in the Tokyo Olympics was having a 5 who can push the ball and transition and create plays is very difficult for FIBA teams to handle. So he can play some 4,… pic.twitter.com/vNpraNByaG
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 8, 2023
Paolo Banchero can continue to show his versatility by playing center for Team USA
Recently, Team USA’s head coach Steve Kerr made comments about Paolo Banchero getting playing time at center. Kerr referenced Team USA’s small-ball centers that they used in the 2021 Olympics. They were Bam Adebayo and Draymond Green, two players who have thrived as elite defenders.
Steve Kerr has seen Draymond Green thrive in that role with the Warriors and with Team USA. Banchero might not be playing center in the NBA, but he’s a valuable threat at the five. Jaren Jackson Jr, Bobby Portis, and Walker Kessler are Team USA’s other options at the five. Paolo Banchero offers a different athletic skillset than some of those players.
As a rookie with the Magic last season, Banchero averaged (3.7) assists per game. The 20-year-old is a big man with guard-like skills. He has great handles for his size and his jump-shoot is smooth. If Banchero continues to thrive in the tune-up games, he could see real playing time off the bench once the FIBA World Cup finally begins.
