Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero is getting some heat from Kendrick Perkins. According to the one-time champion, Banchero is the 2025-26 NBA season’s most disappointing player.
That criticism, however, has drawn pushback from a nine-year NBA veteran.
NBA Veteran Pushes Back on Paolo Banchero Criticism
The discussion began when Perkins expressed a negative view of Banchero. Appearing on ESPN’s “NBA Today” earlier this month, Perkins was asked if the Magic were the league’s most disappointing team.
“I will go a little further and say Paolo Banchero has been the biggest disappointment player-wise,” Perkins said. “When you talk about a guy that, when we came into the season, we had high expectations for this young man. His ceiling, we were talking about, you know, being one of the top five players under 25.
“He has taken three or four steps backwards,” Perkins said. “And I’m starting to question whether or not he is a franchise guy moving forward. … He has been the biggest disappointment, not just the team, but him individually.”
On FanDuel Sports Network’s “Run It Back” NBA show, co-host Chandler Parsons responded Tuesday night. Parsons challenged Perkins’s remarks about Banchero while appearing alongside co-hosts Michelle Beadle and former NBA player Lou Williams.
“Because Kendrick Perkins said that Paolo Banchero’s the biggest disappointment of any player this season,” Beadle said. “By the way, that’s a tough sentence to hear. But then he has games like what we just saw.” Banchero scored 36 points as the Magic defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 110-109 on Tuesday night.
“Does that sort of squash that argument? Like, on our way?” Beadle asked.
“Yeah, I think he’s upset with his play just overall,” Parsons said. “And even early on, you hear the rumors of (Magic head coach Jamahl) Mosley possibly getting fired and the relationship disconnect there. Paolo Banchero is the No. 1 pick, Rookie of the Year, absolute stud max player. And he’s going to continue to get better.
“Paolo Banchero is a #1 pick, Rookie of the Year, absolute stud, max player. He’s going to continue to get better. … If 22/9/5 per game is the most disappointing player, he can sleep well.”@ChandlerParsons disagrees with Kendrick Perkins 🗣️@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/pwusxSpjWM
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 25, 2026
“I think he needs to find his way offensively,” Parsons said. “I do think that’ll do him wonders, like I said earlier, to surround him with more shooting. Listen, if 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists is the most disappointing player of the year? I think he could sleep well with that.”
Parsons, a forward, played nine NBA seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets.
