The Orlando Magic said Thursday that forward Paolo Banchero is out for good after suffering a right hamstring tear.
The 21-year-old star will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. Banchero was injured in the fourth quarter of Orlando’s 102-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
Banchero leads the Magic in scoring (29 points per game) and assists (5.6) after the first five games of the season.
In the season opener, a 116-97 win over the Miami Heat, he had 33 points and 11 rebounds and joined former franchise stars Shaquille O’Neal and Tracy McGrady as the only Orlando players to reach 30 points and 11 rebounds. -10 rebounds in the opening game.
Banchero then produced a career-high 50 points in Monday’s 119-115 win over the Indiana Pacers. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and added nine assists, making him the second youngest player in NBA history to average 50 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game (behind LeBron James in 2005).
Banchero added 31 points Wednesday to become the third player (O’Neal and McGrady) to average 40 points over a two-game stretch in franchise history.
Banchero, who was named to the All-Star team last season, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft by Orlando. He averaged 21.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 157 career games.
–Field Level Media
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