Orlando Magic shock NBA Draft: Best memes and tweets about surprise No. 1 pick
By Scott Rogust
The Orlando Magic shocked the world by taking Duke’s Paolo Banchero with the first-overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Orlando Magic had the worst record in the Eastern Conference this past season, and it helped them win the first-overall pick by way of winning the NBA Draft Lottery. Throughout the pre-draft process, it was heavily expected that Orlando would select Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr. with the No. 1 selection.
Well on the night of the NBA Draft, the Magic shocked the world and Twitter by selecting Duke’s Paolo Banchero with the first-overall selection.
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1540125330995904512
When Jabari Smith found out Paolo Banchero going #1 to the Magic pic.twitter.com/B1Ks4UOPvG
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) June 24, 2022
The Orlando Magic select Paolo Banchero No. 1 overall as they pull off an elaborate smokescreen for the ages.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 24, 2022
Paolo Banchero never worked out for the Orlando Magic.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 24, 2022
Paolo goes first and they comp him to Michael Beasley and Ben Simmons?? Did him dirty
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) June 24, 2022
The number one overall pick in the draft Paolo Banchero was just compared to Ben Simmons and Michael Beasley. #NBADraft
— Mark Carman (@thecarm) June 24, 2022
I really thought this was happening. I really thought Paolo Banchero was a Rocket. Paolo really thought he was a Rocket.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) June 24, 2022
Twitter stunned after Magic select Paolo Banchero in NBA Draft
As Stadium’s Jeff Goodman mentions in his tweet above, Banchero never worked out for Orlando. His colleague, NBA insider Shams Charania, said the Magic never held a formal meeting or workout with the Duke forward in the entire pre-draft process.
As reported on @Stadium NBA Draft Live show, sources say Orlando did not have a formal workout/meeting with Paolo Banchero during predraft process. Now: No. 1. pic.twitter.com/qZKow9guzI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2022
The selection of Banchero caused Smith to drop to the No. 3 spot, where he was drafted by the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have to be thrilled that the projected top-pick in the entire draft fell to them. As for the No. 2 pick, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren.
This past season with the Blue Devils, Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists, while putting up a field goal percentage of 47.8 through 39 games, all of which were starts.
Banchero now joins Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard as players taken by the Magic with the No. 1-overall pick.
Related Story. NBA Draft 2022: Full draft order and results for every pick. light