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Who is Paolo Banchero? Duke Blue Devils Top Prospect Reacts To Shout Out From LeBron James

Published 11/10/2021, 10:20 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

LeBron James is in the 19th season of his NBA career and has seen generations of talent come and go. So his eye for analysing future prospects is extremely reliable. After all, it’s the 4x NBA Champion, who’s known as the King for a reason.

Looking at the next potential draft class, some of the highly rated prospects from around the United States have caught the eye of experts. And to LeBron, one potential draft pick, Duke’s Paolo Banchero, has stood out.

The 6’10” Power Forward is reminding experts around the league of Kevin Durant and slowly catching attention. Even The Akron Hammer acknowledged and encouraged him on Instagram, which would be any teenager baller’s dream come true.

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LeBron James showers support on Duke’s top prospect

After an impressive debut for Duke, Banchero earned a shout-out from the King: LeBron James on Instagram. The 18-YO clearly could not believe that LeBron knows he wears his shoes. Moreover, LeBron said “He so tough!” as a way of appreciating his game. So it was not a surprise that the American-Italian was on cloud nine when he saw Bron’s shout-out.

A highly rated draft prospect and potential number 2 overall, Banchero had an impressive debut against the Kentucky Wildcats. During the 79-71 win over the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats, Banchero had 22 points, seven rebounds, and two steals. He made seven of eleven field-goal attempts and eight of nine free-throw attempts.

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He was hitting his mid-range shots and finishing at the rim. The first glimpse of Banchero in a Blue Devils uniform further added to the excitement around him. After shining during his time on the floor, he demonstrated why he is considered a potential No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft next year.

What does this mean for Paolo Banchero?

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Banchero will face competition from Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren for the number one draft pick overall. This shout-out will really help drive up his draft value. This is essentially ensuring him a place in the NBA if he chooses that in the future.

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Written by:

Chaitanya Dadhwal

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Chaitanya Dadhwal is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Even though his journalism is driven by his desire to understand both sides of an argument and give a neutral perspective, he is biased towards Houston Rockets and Arsenal, and he has shown exactly how loyal he can be through tough times. Currently a Law student at Jindal Global Law School, he aims to have his own sports management firm one day and enjoys rap music during his time off.
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