NBA ROTY and rising star Paolo Banchero thinks Luka Doncic is "gangster"
Last week, Paolo Banchero, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Zion Williamson traveled overseas from the United States to China as part of the Jordan Brand Family Tour. They visited various parts of Beijing and Shanghai, making stops at notable locations such as the Great Wall of China and the Jordan World of Flight Beijing Sanlitun.
After spending time with Doncic, 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year Banchero had a one-word response when asked to describe the guard during an interview with Overtime this week:
"I'll say gangster."
Following the tour, Paolo Banchero returned to the U.S. and shifted his focus to the upcoming 2024-25 NBA campaign. Last year, Banchero and the Orlando Magic finished the regular season in fifth place but suffered a first-round defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite that, with Banchero and fellow young standout Franz Wagner continuing to show development, the future looks bright in Orlando.
Looking at Paolo Banchero and Luka Doncic's time on the Jordan Brand Family Tour
While Luka Doncic and Paolo Banchero play for different teams and conferences, they had a chance to spend time together on the Jordan Brand Family Tour. Besides visiting some well-known sights, the group also went to youth basketball camps and the Next Stop Dongdan street ball tournament finals.
On Friday, Banchero shared highlights from the trip on Instagram. The clip starts with him throwing down a monster dunk and includes a recap of fan interactions and sights from the tour:
The tour was the first of its kind for the Jordan brand. The company is expected to make it an annual event to connect its top stars with fans in China and promote basketball globally.
Ari Chen, vice president and general manager of Jordan Brand for Greater China, said in a statement:
"It's exciting to welcome Jayson, Luka, Zion and Paolo to China and celebrate the growth of both the game of basketball and Jordan Brand here. They represent the greatness that is the hallmark of Jordan Brand.
"This tour, while celebrating the community we've built in China, also showcases the resonance of basketball culture across the entire globe. It's a universal language and shows that the future of the Brand is limitless." [H/T Nike.com]
With other players such as Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Rui Hachimura also signed to Jordan Brand, it will be interesting to see who the company sends on the second annual Jordan Brand Family Tour next summer.