Paolo Banchero recently made a startling admission — one that should serve as a warning to every team across the NBA. Drafted first overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero has quickly risen to become one of the league’s brightest young stars.
Even though the Banchero-led Orlando Magic haven’t advanced past the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the team is still one to keep an eye on among the East’s contenders.
Some would argue the only reason Orlando hasn’t broken through to the conference semifinals is that they’ve consistently run into higher-seeded, veteran-laden teams in the early rounds. In a recent interview, Banchero shed light on how his physical condition late last season factored into those struggles.
What Did Paolo Banchero Recently Reveal About His Physical Condition?
Unlike veteran stars who often rely on load management to stay fresh for the postseason, young groups like the Magic have to battle for playoff position all year long. Last season, Orlando needed to survive the play-in tournament, winning over the Atlanta Hawks, just to secure their spot.
In an interview with The Athletic, Banchero said he wasn’t at peak fitness going into the Magic’s matchup against Boston.
“Even though I had a great finish to the season, my body still didn’t feel like it was in great, great shape,” he said.
Banchero had suffered a torn right oblique in late October 2024, costing him several weeks. Although he returned in January, he revealed that the lingering injury and overall fatigue had taken a toll on him.
Paolo Banchero on how his body felt last season, via @JoshuaBRobbins
“Even though I had a great finish to the season, my body still didn’t feel like it was in great, great shape.”
Banchero’s stats in the final 24 games last season:
29.0 PTS
7.8 REB
4.5 AST
47.3 FG%
33.3 3PT% pic.twitter.com/eifpiRVwGi— Brett James (@thebrettjames1) September 27, 2025
“My legs felt like Jell-O…I had zero explosiveness. … Any other time, if I was healthy, I would have dunked the hell out of the ball,” he said. “It was just a perfect setup for me to just tear the rim off. … And I went up, and I just had zero explosion. I was like, ‘Oh, Lord,’ and I just laid it in, like a little baby layup. I remember thinking in the game: ‘Oh, wow, I don’t have it. I’m out here playing, but I’m not myself.'”
In the last 24 games of the Magic’s 2024-25 regular season, Banchero averaged 29 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. If he could produce those numbers while running on fumes and fresh off an injury, it begs the question of what he might do fully healthy and rested.
The Magic bolstered their lineup this offseason by bringing in stars like Desmond Bane to give Banchero some much-needed support. How Orlando begins the 2025–26 campaign will say a lot about both Banchero’s condition and their standing among the East’s contenders.
