The Official Paolo Banchero Thread: 2022-2023 NBA Rookie of the Year

[Knightro]

Zion played very few games to win. That was case with Embiid in 2017 as well.

So even if we throw out Zion, the leading PPG rookie has not won the Rookie of the Year award in four of the last six years.

But you still want to argue the ROY is a pure PPG award because that's what it used to be?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Zion and Embiid... Embiid played 31 games.

From 2010 to 2022, leading scorers won 9 out of 13 times i think

( btw 07,08,09 as well, i got tired looking for more, i think you would have to go back in 2003 to find out who was first non-leading scorer who won ROY, Lebron over Melo for 0,2 points differential). So i guess my orginal argument holds well because leading scorers won 17 out of last 22 times.

Right...

So the Rookie of the Year voting used to be one way all the time and here recently it hasn't been that way much at all. Which was my point.

And again, even if you throw out Embiid for a lack of games, Brogdon was still the 4th leading scorer that year behind two other guys so that year still counts to my point as well.

I'm not sure why you're arguing this. Four times in the last six years the top rookie PPG guy hasn't won MVP. That's factual info.

This concept that "oh well it's strictly a PPG award" simply hasn't been true for the last 6 years or so.

[pepe1991]

So even if we throw out Zion, the leading PPG rookie has not won the Rookie of the Year award in four of the last six years.

But you still want to argue the ROY is a pure PPG award because that's what it used to be?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Zion and Embiid... Embiid played 31 games.

From 2010 to 2022, leading scorers won 9 out of 13 times i think

( btw 07,08,09 as well, i got tired looking for more, i think you would have to go back in 2003 to find out who was first non-leading scorer who won ROY, Lebron over Melo for 0,2 points differential). So i guess my orginal argument holds well because leading scorers won 17 out of last 22 times.

Right...

So the Rookie of the Year voting used to be one way all the time and here recently it hasn't been that way much at all. Which was my point.

And again, even if you throw out Embiid for a lack of games, Brogdon was still the 4th leading scorer that year behind two other guys so that year still counts to my point as well.

I'm not sure why you're arguing this. Four times in the last six years the top rookie PPG guy hasn't won MVP. That's factual info.

This concept that "oh well it's strictly a PPG award" simply hasn't been true for the last 6 years or so.

Both Zion and Embiid would have won it IF they didn't miss out over 65% of games.

Last two ROY awards, however, were not PPG driven, and in both cases it was, imo, more politics than anything else that swinged into favor of more popular players & bigger markets, especially last ROY.

2023 will be more of the same, Paolo won't lead rookies in anything but PPGs and FTA and that will be more than enough to win.


Guys like Lebron; Wiggins and Ben Simmons all won their awards on massive hype and popularity even if they did not have best seasons as a rookies. In general whole voting is fundamentally flawed, just like voting for any other award is.

To me, personally, majority of "awards" NBA is giving up are ultra dumb because voting isn't based on anything but subjective feelings of individuals who are credited to vote. As i've said above, you have people who vote XY player for MVP but in same time don't vote for him in first overall team.

MVP award is probably biggest offender of stupidity. You can date back Jabar's rookie year where he was clear cut MVP and voters refused to admit that best player in their league is a rookie... Or Iverson over Shaq because underdog story was better story than giant being dominator... Again , politics play major role in nba voting.

[basketballRob]

Ironically, Kessler, JWilliams, and Murray are all two years older than Paolo.

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[KillMonger]

Read on Twitter

[tooler]

Just post his 3PM for the last 6 games, haha. That’s all that really matters right now.

[Knightro]

Paolo in the month of March...

34.9 MPG
20.5 PPG
6.8 RPG
4.2 APG
0.6 SPG
0.5 BPG
.451 FG (16.5 attempts per game)
.333 3PT (3.5 attempts per game)
.696 FT (6.3 attempts per game)

Outside of a minor dip in FT%, everything is progressing along.

[bigdogdylan5]

This Williams rookie of the year push is an over reliance on advanced stats run amuck. One of the first things you learn in statistics is you have to compare apples to apples not oranges to apples. Williams for the vast majority of the year has been at best the third option for the thunder? He has gotten to play with someone who is an all nba gravity creating star. Of course he is going to be more efficient. Paolo has been the sole focus of defenses for the entire season. He has had some of the worst spacing of any teams primary creator because of our piss poor shooting. I am trying to be as biased as I can but this whole thing feels like media bull to try and make the rookie of the year closer than it should be.

[JF5]

This Williams rookie of the year push is an over reliance on advanced stats run amuck. One of the first things you learn in statistics is you have to compare apples to apples not oranges to apples. Williams for the vast majority of the year has been at best the third option for the thunder? He has gotten to play with someone who is an all nba gravity creating star. Of course he is going to be more efficient. Paolo has been the sole focus of defenses for the entire season. He has had some of the worst spacing of any teams primary creator because of our piss poor shooting. I am trying to be as biased as I can but this whole thing feels like media bull to try and make the rookie of the year closer than it should be.

Williams is in it just for conversation and talking points sake...

[SOUL]

To be fair, he's a legit good player. I just think Banchero even though his efficiency has gone down, has still shown so much this year while getting the brunt of the defensive attention. Doesn't feel like a MCW-Oladipo scenario where MCW was having the ball 24/7 and the pace was crazy while the team was awful.

[Bensational]

With Paolo you just have to look at his role on the team (the offensive focus and star player) vs the other rookies and it quickly becomes clear he’s ‘more valuable’ to his team than the others have been - and it has lead to an 8 win improvement with 9 games to play.

Jaylen Williams and Keegan Murray are great, I wanted both in the draft just not with the #1 pick. But both of them have been support players to other stars (SGA and Sabonis + Fox). Mathurin has been a 6th man all season and he plays with Haliburton. Ivey has been the leader of the worst team in the league.

But for anyone to claim this draft has been a disappointment, I point back to Keegan, Jaylen, Mathurin and Kessler and how much their teams have outperformed expectations. Sacramento becoming a top 3 team. OKC and Utah are in the play-in race and beating the Pelicans, Lakers and Portland. Indiana was in the playoffs most of the season and fell off when Haliburton got hurt, but they were expected to be a bottom 5 team.

The last 2 drafts have actually done a lot to reshape the bottom of the league.

[eyriq]

If you look at the rookie of the year race through the lens of Bill Simmons and focus on the below metrics, with significantly more weight given to the advanced metrics, there is a real case to be made that its a two man race between Walker Kessler and Jalen Williams and that Paolo is a distant 3rd.

Win shares
Box plus-minus
Value over replacement player
Points per game
Rebounds per game
Assists per game
Steals per game
Blocks per game
Field goal percentage
Three-point percentage
Free throw percentage
Team record

[ogmagicfan]

Paolo has exceeded expectations. 20, 7, & 4 is really impressive for a rookie. The way he did shows incredible skill and potential for a 6'10.5 250 Point Forward.

He has all the makings of a 1st Option on an NBA Championship Team. A top 5-10 player in his prime.

The Magic called it right last draft. Lets hope for the same this draft.

[SloNick Russia]

Paolo has all the makings to be a legit go-to scorer, which is by far the hardest role on a team to fill. Huge bonus comes with his passing and ball handling, he actually elevates his teammates play, unlike some other scorers do. Is he a good shooter? Not yet. Is he a good rebounder? No, average at best. Good defender? Average at best when connected. Good shot blocker? Not even close. But it all comes secondary to him been an offensive force we have been looking for many years. You can always add role players.

[Optimus_Steel]

To be fair, he's a legit good player. I just think Banchero even though his efficiency has gone down, has still shown so much this year while getting the brunt of the defensive attention. Doesn't feel like a MCW-Oladipo scenario where MCW was having the ball 24/7 and the pace was crazy while the team was awful.

Teams are bringing double teams when he post up which is huge for a rookie. Which is why we need to surround him with 3pt shooters so he makes the defense pay for doubling and/or keep the defense honest by keeping single coverage.

[dsg2021]

Not sure how any rookie can command doubles as consistently often as Paolo. Getting to the FT line this often AS A ROOKIE with the Refs blows my mind too. Maybe our team takes a couple more losses or so (in the short term for more wins long term), but Paolo could have easily played full time point forward for even more stats as well. Look at these words; point forward, FT line machine, creates doubles always. Pretty clear decision for ROY.

[YosemiteSam]

I kinda hope Paolo loses ROY. Would like him to have that chip on his shoulder going into next year. He has All NBA potential - ROY should be a footnote to his career

[KillMonger]

It just makes me feel a bit strange, it feels so clear cut to me but these talking heads man. I saw a video with the ringer with one of the hosts of the video saying Jalen Williams may have the better career....I'm thinking like, P5 is having a season similar to rookie lebron... Make it make sense

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[YosemiteSam]

It just makes me feel a bit strange, it feels so clear cut to me but these talking heads man. I saw a video with the ringer with one of the hosts of the video saying Jalen Williams may have the better career....I'm thinking like, P5 is having a season similar to rookie lebron... Make it make sense

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It's just take culture. Want to be seen as part of the counter-narrative. Plus I think his hair makes him notable. Actually what would crack me up is for Jokic to win MVP and Kessler to win ROY. Two white centers owning the premier NBA awards....

[Bakomagic]

I kinda hope Paolo loses ROY. Would like him to have that chip on his shoulder going into next year. He has All NBA potential - ROY should be a footnote to his career

He doesn’t seem like the type to “need” external motivation.

He often points out areas he struggled in when Post Game interviewers are giving him props.

[drsd]

I kinda hope Paolo loses ROY. Would like him to have that chip on his shoulder going into next year. He has All NBA potential - ROY should be a footnote to his career

He doesn’t seem like the type to “need” external motivation.

He often points out areas he struggled in when Post Game interviewers are giving him props.

Banchero is a probable unanimous selection for RoY after all. This is all talking-heads stuff. The media loves him and he will win.