Hall of Famer Grant Hill is among those that believe there are three front-runners to be the No. 1 pick, but may be in the minority on which player should be taken by the Orlando Magic.
Of course, Duke forward Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren and Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. are in the conversation to be the first players drafted this year. Of the trio, Holmgren and Smith have the highest odds of being the top pick.
However, Hill wants Orlando to take a fellow Dukie in Banchero.
Hill, speaking with Mackenzie Salmon of USA TODAY Sports, believes each candidate brings something different to the table, but personally wants Banchero to end up with the Magic.
The three top guys have, obviously, separated themselves from the pack and one of those three will be the No. 1 pick. I followed Duke a lot this year and I covered them a lot in March Madness. Paolo has a great combination of size, skill and feel, and you don’t see that a lot in players. He is 6 foot, 10 inches and 250 pounds so that in itself is great size and not everybody has that.
Jabari Smith and Chet Holmgren are great players as well. They’re all different in terms of what they do best and how they approach things but they’re all very talented. I think they have great careers in front of them. Since I live in Orlando, and Paolo went to Duke, I’d like to see them take Paolo Banchero but I think they have three really good options and it’ll be interesting to see who they choose.
Banchero, who was a consensus second-team All-American, averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 39 games. He led all true freshmen in the country in scoring and ranked sixth in rebounding and fifth in field-goal percentage (47.8).
He has the size and physicality that should translate well to the next level, along with the work ethic to want to improve. He also has the tools to become an all-around great player and appears to have a bright future ahead in the league.
The conversation surrounding the first pick will only heat up as the draft approaches. The debate will serve as a true sign that the Magic have a tough decision ahead on June 23.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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