PAOLO Banchero did a small shout out to cousin Chris Banchero just moments after Team USA booked a semifinal berth in the Fiba Basketball World Cup on Tuesday night.
The No. 1 pick overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft acknowledged the presence of the Meralco Bolt guard at the Mall of Asia Arena, saying it’s a great feeling to have played right in front of the person he grew up along with in Seattle, Washington.
See Steve Kerr says Team USA now picking up pace in Fiba World Cup
“It’s just great that I got to play in his home, in the city that he called home for a long time now and get to play in front of him,” said the Orlando Magic power forward.
The 20-year-old Banchero didn’t disappoint as he helped Team USA to a blowout win over Italy, 100-63, in the knockout quarterfinals.
Banchero finished with eight points, five rebounds, and two assists in the 37-point rout that gifted the team a berth in the semifinals on Friday.
He also provided one of the game’s highlight reel plays when he completed a nasty two-handed slam off the in-between-legs, alley-oop play by Tyrese Haliburton that brought the crowd of 9,764 up to its feet.
The amazing sequence put a fitting end to the third period that had Team USA leading by a mile, 83-44.
The move certainly made his 34-year-old cousin beaming with pride in the stands.
“He’s one of the best basketball players in the world, and I think he’ll continue to be the best,” said Chris about Paolo in a SPIN.ph interview last year shortly after the draft.
It’s actually the second time Chris watched his cousin play for Team USA in this World Cup after also being present when the Americans routed Greece in the group stage, 109-81.
“This is the second time he came through,” said Paolo. “So it’s awesome.”
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