The Orlando Magic are not just dabbling in some basketball magic; they are clearly pulling out the big wands. They’re confidently tossing a five-year, $287 million spell around their burgeoning star forward, Paolo Banchero. It’s one of those grand gestures that sends a shockwave through the NBA cosmos. The sentiment in Orlando is crystal clear: enough of the humdrum rebuilding; it’s time to refuel the fire under the playoff cauldron and conjure up some championship magic reminiscent of their Dwight Howard days.
Paolo Banchero, a Seattle native who strutted his skills at Duke before taking the NBA by storm, was selected as the top pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Since debuting on the professional stage, he’s made those who believed in him look like clairvoyants, scooping up the NBA Rookie of the Year award with an average of 20 points and nearly seven rebounds per game. In his sophomore year, he didn’t just rest on his laurels but soared higher, scoring 22.6 points per game and grabbing his first All-Star accolade in 2024. It seems the sky, quite literally, is the limit for Banchero.
Last season, his stats were downright Herculean, reminiscent of the days when titans roamed the courts—averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 boards, and 4.8 assists per game. These jaw-dropping numbers have rekindled a fond optimism within the Orlando fan base, as hope has been rekindled in the City Beautiful. Who wouldn’t be thrilled? After too many seasons languishing in the shadows with playoff droughts and forgettable exits when they did slip in, the Magic have shakily yet surely carved their way back, clinching the Southeast Division crown with a flat, yet promising 41-41 last season. There’s a belief shimmering on the horizon, especially with Eastern behemoths like Boston and New York shaking in their high tops.
In this climate of rebirth, Banchero’s burgeoning career is supported by Germany’s own Franz Wagner and the newly acquired sharpshooting specialist Desmond Bane—acquired in an all-in move costing five first-round hopes. It’s a ballsy gamble, but one with the potential to turn into a high-flying payoff. Orlando’s management has flipped the switch, signaling a clear intention: we’re all in.
Equally as fascinating is the unfolding adventure in the collector’s market, where young Banchero is stirring quite the commotion. Despite Orlando’s historically modest market perception, Banchero’s jaw-dropping performances—and now his gargantuan contract—are creating a fever among collectors. For the casual fan of memorabilia, collecting Banchero items doesn’t have to break the bank just yet. Consider a 2023-24 Panini Select Retail Blue card, currently attainable for the princely sum of just one dollar. Meanwhile, a reflective bus ticket to his past, a 2022 Panini Contenders Duke rookie card, was recently valued on eBay at a still-thrifty $1.59.
That said, dedicated collectors seeking more prestigious items are seeing prices shift upward with curious rapidity. Among the golden geese are items like the 2022-23 Panini Obsidian Rookie Eruption Auto (limited edition of 75), which is hovering around the $200 benchmark. There are also the rare and climatized 2022 Panini Prizm Penmanship Purple Ice Autos (numbered to 99). The price for a “Near Mint” makes one approximately $200 lighter; however, should one cross auction paths with a pristine “Mint” condition, donning a cape of around $500 in value isn’t unheard of.
For Magic enthusiasts and collectors alike, it’s a warning that shimmers like an autumn comet: now might be the ideal moment to start adding Banchero’s name to your roll call of collectibles. His rising star, paired with Orlando’s staking into playoff destiny, is only going to make the worth of such memorabilia soar. With each shimmy and slam on the court, Banchero isn’t just lifting scores—he could soon be lifting the price tags on collector’s items far past what they are today.
Orlando’s embrace of the future—and their determined pivot away from their rebuilding days—makes this more than just a savvy basketball move. It’s a statement of ambition, a banner of victory claimed with their young stars leading the charge. Only time will reveal if the potion concocted in Orlando will brew into a championship, but one thing’s for sure: the Magic’s magic is anything but an illusion.
