DETROIT -- Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero collected 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists in his NBA debut on Wednesday night, a 113-109 loss to the Detroit Pistons, making him the first rookie with 25-5-5 in his debut since LeBron James in 2003.
"It means a lot, I guess," Banchero said after the game. "Obviously, would have liked to win, but I just wanted to play hard, play for the team and that happened, so it's a blessing."
Banchero, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, made an impact on this contest right away.