Magic Select Duke's Paolo Banchero for #1 Overall Pick In 2022 NBA Draft

After the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Championship after a 103-90 Game 6 victory against the Boston Celtics on June 16th, the 2021/22 NBA season came to a close.

But now the 2022/23 season is fast approaching as the 2022 NBA Draft took place on June 23rd in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where the Orlando Magic and other NBA franchises made their selections that hopefully for them and their fanbases improve their teams for the upcoming season and years to come.

And when it comes to the Magic's improvement, they made Duke's Paolo Banchero their No. 1 overall pick. Make sure to find out more about Banchero and the entire NBA Draft below.

In what was considered a major surprise in the 2022 NBA Draft, Duke forward Paolo Banchero was picked No. 1 by the Orlando Magic. Many originally thought Jabari Smith Jr. was going to be the pick, but he instead fell to the Houston Rockets at the No. 3 pick.

Banchero was surprised himself telling ESPN after being picked, "I don't even know what to say, I can't believe what just happened. Honestly." Banchero who plays forward is looking to improve an Orlando Magic team that went 22-60 this past season into a powerhouse in the NBA's Eastern Conference that is currently dominated by some impressive teams the likes of the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks to name a few.

A 6-foot-10 forward, Banchero helped bring Duke to the Final Four in coach Mike Krzyzewski's last season. He averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his only season with Duke.

Though Banchero was surprised being picked, he told reporters this past week that he was the best option saying, "I feel like I am the best player in the draft and I feel like I showed that throughout the year. I feel like I showed everything with my skill sets and my intangibles."

Now he has a chance to prove it, especially since former Orlando Magic No. 1 picks have set lofty goals for Banchero to reach as Shaquille O’Neal was once a No. 1 pick for the franchise.

The 2022 NBA draft is underway and The Blast has you covered on all your favorite teams picks throughout. Continue to refresh this page for all the selections and updates from the 2022 NBA Draft. All the picks, the trades and surprises will be below in what is likely to be a very eventful NBA Draft.

1. Magic draft Paolo Banchero (Duke)

2. Thunder draft Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga)

3. Rockets draft Jabari Smith (Auburn)

4. Kings draft Keegan Murray (Iowa)

5. Pistons draft Jaden Ivey (Purdue)

6. Pacers draft Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona)

7. Blazers draft Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky)

8. Pelicans draft Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite)

9. Spurs draft Jeremy Sochan (Baylor)

10. Wizards draft Johnny Davis (Wisconsin)

11. Knicks draft Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand Breakers) — Reportedly traded to OKC

12. Thunder draft Jalen Williams (Santa Clara)

13. Hornets draft Jalen Duren (Memphis) — Reportedly traded to DET

14. Cavaliers draft Ochai Agbaji (Kansas)

15. Hornets draft Mark Williams (Duke)

16. Hawks draft A.J. Griffin (Duke)

17. Rockets draft Tari Eason (LSU)

18. Bulls draft Dalen Terry (Arizona)

19. Timberwolves draft Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest) — Reportedly traded to MEM

20. Spurs draft Malaki Branham (Ohio State)

21. Nuggets draft Christian Braun (Kansas)

22. Grizzlies draft Walker Kessler (Auburn) — Reportedly traded to MIN

23. Sixers draft David Roddy (Colorado State) — Reportedly traded to MEM

24. Bucks draft MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite)

25. Spurs draft Blake Wesley (Notre Dame)

26. Mavericks draft Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke) — Reportedly traded to MIN

27. Heat draft Nikola Jovic (Mega Mozzart)

28. Warriors draft Patrick Baldwin Jr. (UW-Milwaukee)

29. Grizzlies draft TyTy Washington Jr. (Kentucky) — Reportedly traded to MIN

30. Thunder draft Peyton Watson (UCLA) — Reportedly traded to DEN

31. Pacers draft Andrew Nembhard (Gonzaga)

32. Magic draft Caleb Houstan (Michigan)

33. Raptors draft Christian Koloko (Arizona)

34. Thunder draft Jaylin Williams (Arkansas)

35. Lakers draft Max Christie (Michigan State)

36. Blazers draft Gabriele Procida (Fortitudo Bologna) — Reportedly traded to DET

37. Kings draft Jaden Hardy (G League Ignite) — Reportedly traded to DAL

38. Spurs draft Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee) — Reportedly traded to MEM

39. Cavaliers draft Khalifa Diop (Gran Canaria)

40. Timberwolves draft Bryce McGowens (Nebraska) — Reportedly traded to CHA

41. Pelicans draft EJ Liddell (Ohio State)

42. Knicks draft Trevor Keels (Duke)

43. Clippers draft Moussa Diabate (Michigan)

44. Hawks draft Ryan Rollins (Toldeo) — Reportedly traded to GSW

45. Hornets draft Josh Minott (Memphis)

46. Pistons draft Ismael Kamagate (Paris Basketball) — Reportedly traded to DEN

47. Grizzlies draft Vince Williams Jr. (VCU)

48. Timberwolves draft Kendall Brown (Baylor) — Reportedly traded to IND

49. Cavaliers draft Isaiah Mobley (USC)

50. Timberwolves draft Matteo Spagnolo (Vanoli Cremona)

51. Warriors draft Tyrese Martin (UConn) — Reportedly traded to ATL

52. Pelicans draft Karlo Matković (Mega Mozzart)

53. Celtics draft JD Davison (Alabama)

— Milwaukee (forfeited)

— Miami (forfeited)

54. Wizards draft Yannick Nzosa (Unicaja Malaga)

55. Warriors draft Gui Santos (Minas) — Reportedly traded to MIL

56. Cavaliers draft Luke Travers (Perth)

57. Blazers draft Jabari Walker (Colorado)

58. Pacers draft Hugo Besson (New Zealand Breakers) — Reportedly traded to MIL