Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero returned to his hometown on Saturday and put on a show, dropping 50 points in the annual CrawsOver Pro-Am in Seattle, Washington.
Banchero teamed with Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren in the contest, and the two led the Sonics to a win over Ball is Life on the campus of Seattle Pacific University. Holmgren added 34 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots.
The No. 1 pick had everything working in the exhibition game, which was live-streamed on NBA.com. He penetrated to the basket with ease and threw down a number of highlight-reel dunks, including a couple of rim-shaking slams that drew the crowd to its feet.
Paolo Banchero WENT OFF for 50 PTS in his hometown of Seattle, WA at the @thecrawsover!
🔥 @Pp_doesit: 50 PTS, 9 REB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SLObQSANe5
— NBA (@NBA) July 31, 2022
The contest marked the second straight year Banchero appeared in the game, which was started by NBA legend Jamal Crawford. They have a longstanding friendship dating to when Banchero was a freshman in high school and often keep in touch.
Much like Banchero, Holmgren had several emphatic dunks but also mixed some mid-range shots. He flashed his Dirk Nowitzki-like fadeaway several times, drawing chatter from the packed house. Holmgren also feasted on the competition on defense, swatting several shots.
Chet Holmgren was DOMINANT in @thecrawsover as he and Paolo Banchero combined for 84 PTS!@ChetHolmgren: 34 PTS | 14 REB pic.twitter.com/B0sq3UKr8Q
— NBA (@NBA) July 31, 2022
Banchero and Holmgren were the two stars on their team. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels had a game-high 52 points and 11 rebounds for the Ball is Life team. The trio of NBA players treated those fans on hand to a show.
The annual pro-am in Seattle has special meaning to the fans in the Pacific Northwest, and they witnessed a spectacle on Saturday with some of the top up-and-coming players in the league.
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