How was Paolo Banchero involved in Mike Krzyzewski's grandson Michael Savarino's DWI-related charge? All you need to know
Paolo Banchero had a fascinating college life during his time at Duke University. Before becoming respected celebrities, many NBA stars have a fair share of wild stories from their past. Banchero is no different.
Apparently, the Orlando Magic rookie was involved in an arrest due to DWI charges against his college teammate Michael Savarino. Here's the full story.
How did Paolo Banchero get involved with Micahel Savarino's DWI charges?
Michael Savarino, grandson of former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, and Paolo Banchero, were arrested on Nov. 14, 2021. The two were on their way home from a Saturday night party. Savarino was the one driving the vehicle and failed to follow road rules. He drove past a yield sign, which cops immediately noticed.
As the police pulled over the two Duke players, Michael Savarino was asked to take a breathalyzer test. The results came out with 0.08% of blood alcohol content. That amount was enough to slap Savarino with a DWI charge. He was also charged with violating a stop and yield sign. Due to his recklessness, Savarino's driver's license was revoked for 30 days.
But how exactly did Paolo Banchero get involved when he was just an innocent passenger? According to ESPN, passengers can get charged just by tolerating a driver's behavior. Luckily for Banchero, he wasn't arrested. Spending some time in prison just before the NBA draft would've hurt his chances of making it into the league.
Paolo Banchero was interviewed a week later about what happened to Michael Savarino's arrest. Banchero said that he doesn't regret abetting Savarino's actions.
Paolo Banchero addressing his DUI aiding and abetting charge from last week. https://t.co/NJgcoCouig
After a crazy weekend, Banchero was still able to play for Duke in their upcoming games. According to USA Today, former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski explained the situation:
"Two different situations. Two entirely different situations. Headlines might make it look like it's the same. It's not. The decisions we made are in conjunction with our authorities, my superiors. We're taking action. We took action and we will continue to take action."
In the end, everything worked out for Paolo Banchero. He finished his one and only season with the Duke Blue Devils and declared for the 2022 NBA Draft. Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game in Duke. This is why the Magic drafted him in the first round as the No. 1 overall pick.
As an NBA rookie, Banchero is off to a great start. He has scored 20 or more points in all four of his games so far this season. He is currently averaging 22.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.5 blocks per game.
It's still too early to say, but if he keeps going like this, he could have a better rookie season than LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.