WATCH: Ex-Duke star Paolo Banchero sends Blue Devils Oakley Custom shades ahead of March Madness
Former Duke Blue Devils star Paolo Banchero has shown his support to his ex-teammates by sending custom-made gifts along with a message ahead of the March Madness.
Banchero decided to send Oakley Custom shades for all the players. They were excited to receive the special gift and thanked him for supporting them.
Along with the shade, a message was sent to the players.
"Blue Devils, I am proud of you and the work you've put in so far this season. There's still more to go. My partner at Oakley and I wanted to send you some new shades as you prepare for the NCAA tournament and let you know that you have the Duke family behind you. Good luck and leave it all on the court," Paolo said.
Paolo Banchero was predicted to go with Washington, with offers from Kentucky as well, during his recruitment as one of the top players. Surprisingly, he committed to Duke in the end.
During his time at Duke, Banchero earned the ACC Rookie of the Year in the only season he played for them. He averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 32 games.
The very next season, he declared for the 2022 NBA draft and was selected as the first overall pick by the Orlando Magic.
On his NBA debut for Orlando, Banchero scored a game-high 27 points, shooting 11-for-18 from the field and 5-for-7 from the free throw line, in a 113-109 loss to the Detroit Pistons. He also added nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
Duke Blue Devils secure No. 4 seed
Following the Selection Sunday, the Duke Blue Devils secured the No.4 seed in the South region. This came after their ACC quarterfinal loss to NC State.
In the first round, they have drawn with No. 13 seed Vermont. If they win, they will play either No. 5 Wisconsin or No. 12 James Madison in the second round.
Duke has been to the Final Four seventeen times and the Elite Eight twenty-three times. Having secured the titles in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010 and 2015, Duke has +3000 odds to make it their sixth title glory this season under the guidance of coach Jon Scheyer.
Do you think Duke will secure the NCAA title this year? Let us know in the comments section.