Duke Blue Devils freshman forward Paolo Banchero has declared for the 2022 NBA Draft and will forgo his remaining college eligibility. His final college basketball game will be a loss in the 2022 NCAA Tournament Final Four against the North Carolina Tar Heels. Banchero is projected as a top-three selection and will go either first, second, or third in the 2022 NBA Draft. Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski puts one more player into the NBA Draft Lottery.
Duke’s Paolo Banchero announced he will enter the 2022 NBA draft. pic.twitter.com/BguX1J2rPv
— ESPN (@espn) April 20, 2022
Paolo Banchero had a phenomenal single season with the Duke Blue Devils. In that season, he averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. His points per game and rebounds per game led the team while his assists per game were second on the team. He paired those numbers with a field goal percentage of 47.8 percent and a three-point percentage of 33.8 percent. Banchero was the ACC Freshman of the Year this season after leading Duke to an ACC regular-season title.
Top 2 pick. Not 2. Thanks for everything @Pp_doesit! ??#DukeintheNBA pic.twitter.com/Zn8IpRdrvZ
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) April 20, 2022
Paolo Banchero and the Duke Blue Devils ultimately did not end the season the way they wanted to end it. They came up just two games short of sending Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski off into retirement with one final NCAA Championship. That being said Banchero will make a top-level NBA prospect and could change the fortune of an NBA lottery team. He along with Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Auburn’s Jabari Smith are competing to be the number one overall selection. They are all sure to be the top three picks, but the order has not been solidified as of right now. Banchero has a chance to be that pick.
