Orlando Magic's Paolo Banchero outshines Houston Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. in NBA summer league debuts

LAS VEGAS — Before his lone season at Duke, Paolo Banchero tattooed a message to himself on his right forearm:

«No pressure.»

Naturally, the No. 1 pick in last month's NBA draft said that while he was excited for his first game in an NBA uniform Thursday night, in a showdown with No. 3 overall selection Jabari Smith Jr. in the opening game of the NBA's annual summer league, it wasn't anything he was too concerned about.

«I got it tattooed on me,» Banchero said after finishing with 17 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists in 25 minutes to help the Orlando Magic beat the Houston Rockets 91-77. «No pressure, literally.

»So I've always dealt with pressure well, been able to handle it. And I mean, at the end of the day, it's just basketball. There's gonna be all the pressure, all the noise in the world, but at the end of the day you got to go out there and hoop against five other guys, so it's like, 'What really is it if it's just basketball?'"

Thursday's game might have been just a meaningless exhibition in the summertime, but it didn't take long for Banchero to show off some of the skills that compelled Orlando to select him over Smith with the top pick.

Banchero, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward whom many expected to be the most ready-to-play NBA prospect, showed off a well-rounded combination of scoring, passing and rebounding that will make him one of the favorites to win the league's rookie of the year award.

He hit a couple of 3-pointers — one on a catch-and-shoot opportunity on the wing and the other on a difficult step-back from the top of the key over Smith's long arms. He also spent much of the game playing the role he likely will have for Orlando this season, essentially serving as the team's de facto point guard. As a