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🏀 Paolo Banchero Makes History

🏀 Paolo Banchero Makes History

Chris Lesiak
October 21, 2022

Top rookies shine in their NBA debuts, Pelicans look scary behind a healthy Zion Williamson, and Wang Zhizhi was the first Yao Ming!

Have a great weekend!

PAOLO BANCHERO & JADEN IVEY

Top Rookies Shine in NBA Debuts

Anytime you’re in the same conversation as Allen Iverson, you know you’re doing something right, and on Wednesday night, Paolo Banchero did just that when he scored the most points by a rookie in their debut since AI in 1996. Banchero’s 27 points came on an impressive 11 of 18 shooting, in addition to his nine boards and five assists. He was utterly sensational, and even though the Magic ultimately lost to the Pistons, Magic fans should be thrilled about the team's future.

As for the Pistons, the future looks very bright behind fifth-overall pick Jaden Ivey. The Pistons were elated that Ivey slid to them in the draft, dreaming about his fit alongside former first-overall pick Cade Cunningham and they were spot on. Ivey was the team’s second-leading scorer with 19 points on 8-15 shooting. He also chipped in four assists, three rebounds, and three steals.

The Magic and the Pistons have only been in the playoffs twice in the last ten years, but with Banchero and Ivey in town, those numbers can only go up.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

The Pelicans Look Scary Behind a Healthy Zion

After being limited to just 85 games over his first three seasons, Zion Williamson is back, and it’s like he never left. Zion nearly led his team in scoring with 25 points and did it all with his signature smile and his tenacious presence around the basket, which resulted in a casual nine rebounds.

The Pelicans aren’t the same team since the last time Zion played for them. They’ve seen significant improvement out of Jose Alvarado, as well as the arrivals of rookies Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III. But perhaps most importantly, the acquisition of CJ McCollum, who was vital to the Pels playoff push last season.

With Zion joining this revamped roster, the rest of the NBA should be nervous. Their dominant 130-108 victory over a Nets roster with a healthy KD, Kyrie, and Ben Simmons was a statement game if there ever was one. While it’s only one game, we might be seeing a shift in the power dynamics of the Western Conference.

WANG ZHIZHI

Wang Zhizhi was the First Yao Ming!

Three years before Yao Ming went first overall in the 2002 Draft, Wang Zhizhi became the first Chinese player in NBA history. Zhizhi was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 1999 Draft, surprising everyone.

Part of that surprise is because he was already under contract with the CBA team, the Bayi Rockets, where he was their top player. The Bayi Rockets were also a CBA dynasty, having won the title every year since the league’s inception, and they certainly didn’t want to release him. But two years after being drafted and winning another two titles, the Rockets finally agreed to let Wang play in the NBA.

Zhizhi only played five games in his rookie season and was no longer the focal point of the team like he was in the CBA. After his rookie year and some contractual obligations back home, Wang returned to the Mavs for his second season, playing in 55 games while averaging 5.6 points and two rebounds while averaging only 11 minutes per game.

From there, he bounced around to the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat but only played in 75 games between those three years. By then, Wang decided he'd had enough of the NBA and returned to the CBA and immediately went back to his championship ways and won the CBA Finals MVP. He retired in 2015 after averaging 22.3 points and 8.4 rebounds in the CBA and is currently the Bayi Rockets' head coach.