Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Countdown to Craziness on October 3, 2025 at 7 p.m.
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7 p.m.
Men's Basketball
vs Countdown to Craziness
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2021-22 Men's Basketball Roster
Banchero, Paolo
Jersey Number 5
Paolo Banchero
- Position:
- Forward
- Height:
- 6-10
- Weight:
- 250
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Seattle, Wash.
- High School:
- O'Dea
Bio
CAREER
- Enjoyed a stellar freshman campaign that saw him earn consensus second-team All-America honors and be named the ACC Freshman of the Year
- In helping lead Duke to the Final Four, he was NCAA West Region Most Outstanding Player and named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team
- Started all 39 games and averaged 17.2 points on .478 shooting with 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists
- Led all true freshmen nationally in scoring while ranking sixth in rebounding and fifth in field goal percentage
- Posted 12 double-doubles and 15 games of 20+ points, each the most among power conference true freshmen
- Ended the season with 11 consecutive double-digit scoring efforts, including six 20-point games
- Averaged 18.8 points in the NCAA Tournament, including 22 points against Texas Tech in the Sweet 16
- Declared for the NBA Draft on April 20, 2022
- Drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by Orlando -- the fifth Blue Devil to be taken No. 1 overall and second over the last four drafts (Zion Williamson in 2019)
- Part of a record-setting 2022 NBA Draft for the Blue Devils that saw a program-best five players selected
2021-22
- Named consensus second-team All-American, becoming 33rd player in program history to earn consensus All-America status
- Second-team All-America selection by the NABC and USBWA
- Third-team All-America pick by the AP and Sporting News
- ACC Freshman of the Year
- First-team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman Team
- First-team ACC All-Tournament
- NCAA West Region Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team selection
- Named to Wooden Award National Ballot
- NABC first-team All-District 2
- USBWA All-District III
- Finalist for Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award
- Averaged 17.2 points on .478 shooting with 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 39 starts
- Led all true freshmen nationally in scoring while ranking sixth in rebounding and fifth in field goal percentage
- Posted 12 double-doubles and 15 games of 20+ points, each the most among power conference true freshmen
- Scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 8-of-9 at the free throw line in collegiate debut vs. No. 10 Kentucky (11/9)
- Grabbed seven rebounds in 32 minutes against the Wildcats
- Had back-to-back 18-point outings in wins over Army (11/12) and Campbell (11/13)
- Recorded first career double-double vs. Army with 12 rebounds
- Named ACC Freshman of the Week after averaging 19.3 points on .667 field goal shooting and 8.7 rebounds in first three career games
- Nearly had a triple-double against The Citadel (11/22) with 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists while not committing a turnover
- Scored 20 of his 21 points against No. 1 Gonzaga (11/26) in the first half
- Brought in five boards and dished out two assists to help Duke defeat the Bulldogs in Las Vegas
- Named ACC Freshman of the Week following wins over The Citadel and Gonzaga
- Went for 12 points, seven rebounds and a season-high six assists against SC State (12/14)
- Finished 4-of-8 from the field and knocked down four free throws for 12 points with nine boards versus Elon (12/18)
- Earned third ACC Freshman of the Week nod after 23 points, including 17 in the second half, seven rebounds and three assists in ACC opener against Virginia Tech (12/22)
- Recorded his second double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds with four assists and three blocked shots versus Georgia Tech (1/4)
- Went for 20 points, converting 6-of-7 from the free throw line, with seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks against Miami (1/8)
- Shot 11-of-23 from the floor for 24 points and five boards at Wake Forest (1/12)
- Became first Duke player since 2015 to earn three straight ACC Freshman of the Week honors (1/17, 1/24/ 1/31)
- Had four straight 20+ point games, capped off by a double-double at Florida State (1/18) with 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists
- Brought in 15 rebounds with 11 points and three dimes at Louisville (1/29)
- Scored 21 points and grabbed nine boards at Notre Dame (1/31)
- Posted 13-point, 10-rebound double-double at North Carolina (2/5)
- Netted 15 points with 10 boards and three assists at Clemson (2/10)
- Brought down 14 boards with 16 points and three dimes at Boston College (2/12)
- Shot 6-of-12 from the field and 5-of-5 at the free throw line for 17 points and eight rebounds in win over Florida State (2/19)
- Recorded career highs in assists (nine) and three-pointers (four) in 21-point effort at Syracuse (2/26)
- Went 7-of-10, including 3-of-3 from three-point line, for 21 points at Pittsburgh (3/1)
- Had 10 points, 10 boards and seven assists in ACC Tournament quarterfinals vs. Syracuse (3/10)
- Finished 8-of-10 from the field for 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists against Miami in ACC semifinals (3/11)
- Netted 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting in ACC title game versus Virginia Tech (3/12)
- Recorded a double-double in NCAA Tournament debut, going for 17 points and 10 rebounds against Cal State Fullerton (3/18)
- Shot 8-of-14 for 19 points, seven boards and four assists in comeback win over Michigan State in Round of 32 (3/20)
- Led Duke to Sweet 16 win over Texas Tech with 22 points on 7-of-12 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range
- Scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished three assists in Elite Eight victory over Arkansas (3/26)
- Netted a team-high 20 points with 10 rebounds in Final Four vs. North Carolina (4/2)
- Preseason ACC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year
- Named to NABC, Naismith and Wooden Award preseason watch lists
HIGH SCHOOL
- A five-star power forward out of O'Dea High School in Seattle, Wash.
- Ranked as the No. 3 overall player in ESPN 100's rankings for the class of 2021
- Ranked No. 1 in the state of Washington and No. 1 at his position in the ESPN 100
- Named the Washington Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior
- Became the sixth Duke commit in the past decade to earn MaxPreps Junior Player of the Year honors (Austin Rivers – 2010; Jabari Parker – 2012; Jayson Tatum – 2015; Zion Williamson – 2017; Vernon Carey Jr. – 2018)
- Averaged 22.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 blocks per game his junior season at O'Dea
- Took part in the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team minicamp in July of 2019
- Also played quarterback for the O'Dea football team
- Becomes first player from the state of Washington since Quin Snyder (Mercer Island) in 1986-89
- Committed to Duke on August 4, 2020
- Chose the Blue Devils over Kentucky, North Carolina and Gonzaga, among others
PERSONAL
- Full name is Paolo Napoleon James Banchero
- Born on November 12, 2002 in Seattle, Wash.
- Son of Rhonda Smith-Banchero and Mario Banchero
- Has a younger sister, Mia, and younger brother, Lio
(updated August 2022)
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