The opening tip  No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero has looked sharp in his first two games in NBA summer league. (John Locher/AP) | Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren look the part in NBA summer league debuts LAS VEGAS — The widest smiles in the gym Thursday belonged to Orlando Magic executives Jeff Weltman and John Hammond, whose decision to select Paolo Banchero with the top pick in the NBA draft stunned the basketball world and set the discourse for this year's Las Vegas Summer League. What did the Magic see that made Banchero the pick over Jabari Smith Jr., who was widely expected to go first during the pre-draft process? Should Orlando have instead taken Chet Holmgren, who drew rave reviews for his play at the Salt Lake City summer league? And how would this 2022 class, which lacked a clear-cut headliner, shake out in showcase matchups that pitted Banchero against Smith, Holmgren against Smith, and Banchero against No. 4 pick Keegan Murray during the first three days of Las Vegas action? Banchero had the Magic brass beaming by outplaying Smith, the third overall pick by the Houston Rockets, during an opening-night victory, and two days later he delivered a game-saving block and a game-winning assist in a double-overtime victory over Murray's Sacramento Kings. There was a lot for the 19-year-old Seattle native to process — including the rowdy crowds in Las Vegas and the fact that he's cast as the savior of a team that he didn't even work out for before the draft — but he pointed to his right forearm after eking out the victory against Sacramento. "I've got it tattooed on me," he said calmly, revealing a graphic with the words "Know pressure" and "no pressure" in green ink. "I've always dealt with pressure well and been able to handle it." Not since Tracy McGrady in the early-2000s has the Magic had a polished perimeter scorer like Banchero, who loves going to work against his defender in the midrange, where he seeks shooting windows and driving lanes if left single-covered and shifts into playmaker mode if help arrives. Over the last 10 seasons, Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson are the only rookies to average 20 points per game, and Banchero will have every opportunity to join that list. After finishing with 17 points and six assists in his debut, Banchero posted 23 points and six assists against the Kings. Banchero dictated the action from the early going versus Houston, attacking Smith off the dribble and hounding him defensively. Smith, who looked nervous and overwhelmed at times, was less assertive and involved offensively, though his defensive versatility was evident against Banchero and in a Saturday win over Holmgren's Oklahoma City Thunder. For Orlando, which badly needed a scoring fulcrum after ranking in the bottom-10 in offensive efficiency for the last 10 seasons, the contrast was affirming. Banchero should have a larger impact than Smith in the upcoming season, and he has a higher long-term ceiling as an offensive threat thanks to his mix of physicality and well-honed shot-creation skills that recalls a young Carmelo Anthony. Standing 6-foot-10 with a strong frame, Banchero had the gym buzzing Saturday with a corkscrew dunk and his relentless forays into the paint. There were still some warts. Like Anthony, Banchero seems to relish taking tough twos, and he will need to reorient his shooting diet to maximize his efficiency. Scouts grumbled that Banchero's patient, probing style occasionally disrupted Orlando's ball movement, and they noted that his turnover rate dramatically increased when he wasn't surveying from the top of the key. Empowered as a lead playmaker in this setting, Banchero threw multiple laser-like passes that drew oohs from the crowd, but he forced the issue at times, committing what he called "bad turnovers" against Sacramento. Indeed, Banchero had a game-high eight giveaways against the Kings, as he repeatedly struggled to find his targets once he had collapsed the defense. "I'm just trying to play at my speed," Banchero said. "In college, it's harder. You can't play at your pace all the time because there's always help and always a double. In the league, there's a lot more space. I'm getting used to it and finding my way. … [The turnovers were] really me just throwing the ball away. I've got to clean that up." Whether Banchero emerges as the best player from a class he calls "underestimated" remains to be seen. Holmgren, 20, was sensational in his Salt Lake City debut, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds and six blocks in a blowout win over the Utah Jazz. The Gonzaga product unveiled his full shooting arsenal, knocking down a one-legged Dirk Nowitzki style pull-up jumper while hitting four three-pointers. Against the Rockets, Holmgren's offensive impact was stunted somewhat by Smith, who has the requisite length and quickness to stick with him. But Holmgren was an omnipresent offensive force given his 7-foot frame, setting ball screens, popping to the perimeter, cutting to the rim, working on the block and fighting for rebounds. Scouts nodded approvingly as he grabbed a defensive rebound, dribbled up in transition and quickly found a teammate with a well-timed pass for a bucket in a sequence that justified the "Unicorn" talk that bubbled throughout his one-and-done season in Spokane. While his thin 195-pound stature drew some chuckles from a Hall of Famer sitting courtside, Holmgren was ferocious in denying Houston attacks with several jaw-dropping blocked shots in the second half. Holmgren struggled with foul trouble at times in college and is susceptible to being overpowered by traditional centers, but the Minnesota native has the length, timing, intelligence and feel to blossom into a potential Defensive Player of the Year. He finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks against the Rockets, and twice showed his wide-ranging defensive skills by blocking first-rounder Tari Eason. In the third quarter, Holmgren came from the left side of the free throw line diagonally across the paint to pin an Eason layup attempt against the right side of the backboard. Then, late in the fourth, Holmgren rotated from the left baseline all the way across the front of the rim to stuff Eason cleanly on the right side of the basket. Only a short list of NBA big men — think Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis — are capable of making both plays. "Trying to cover up gaps and holes," Holmgren said. "No matter how good your defense is, disadvantages are going to happen in a game, whether it's in transition or the half-court. Having length and being able to cover space, get deflections, whatever it might be." The Thunder's not-so-secret weapon for building a winner around Holmgren is guard Josh Giddey, a 19-year-old Australian blessed with superb vision and a fearless approach off the dribble. Giddey and Holmgren have already struck up a nice chemistry on and off the court, a crucial development given that young big men often take a few years to adapt to the professional game. The pairing looks comfortable in the pick and roll, and both players thrive in transition because they are capable of pushing the ball and finishing. "[Holmgren] does everything on both sides," Giddey said. "He can stretch the floor, knocked down threes, plays at the ring, play in the midrange. On the defensive end, he protects the ring like I've never seen before. I know he's got my back on that end." But it was Smith who got the last laugh against the Thunder when he successfully defended a Giddey coast-to-coast drive at the buzzer to seal a hard-fought win. As he works to find his footing within Houston's offense, the 19-year-old Auburn product has welcomed the toughest defensive matchups and responded with good positioning, focus and competitive spirit. "That's my greatest attribute," Smith said. "Being able to guard multiple positions, defend the rim and make things hard for players who play like me. I feel like I'm the best matchup for somebody who can shoot and get to different spots. I feel like I'm a matchup nightmare for anybody of that caliber." Like any top tier of draft prospects, Banchero, Holmgren and Smith will be linked in debates for years to come. Murray, who scored 20 points against the Magic, and Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey, who impressed before suffering an ankle injury on Saturday, will try to work their way into the conversation as well. Here in Las Vegas, the first checkpoint of their professional careers saw strong first impressions across the board. There wasn't a bust in sight. | 
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