ORLANDO, Fla. — Paolo Banchero is nearing his return, and the Orlando Magic forward hopes to be able to play again sometime within the next two weeks.
The Magic said Friday that Banchero, an All-Star last season, has entered the “return-to-competition reconditioning” phase of his recovery from a torn oblique, which has sidelined him for 28 games. Orlando’s 33 games this season.
Banchero said the torn muscle has healed.
“I’ve just been doing a lot of rehab and getting a lot better, trying to get my body back in shape,” Banchero said Friday before the Magic-New York Knicks game. “Obviously, I had to sit for over 30 days without doing much. So I had to get my body back into that mode and I’m still in the process.”
There is no firm timetable for Banchero’s return, but barring a setback, he is clearly getting closer. He hasn’t played since being injured on Oct. 30 in Chicago and is off to a monster start: His 29-point average ranked seventh in the league before his injury, and he was also averaging 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists.
“It’s very encouraging to see the way he’s working,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.
The Magic lost four straight games after Banchero’s injury, but then fell apart with Franz Wagner leading the way, before suffering the same injury as Banchero. Wagner was injured earlier this month, derailing what likely would have been an All-Star-worthy start to the season.
“I had a bad feeling being on the bench in that game,” Banchero said. “When I saw him holding his side, it seemed eerily similar to how I felt in Chicago.”
There are things that Banchero has not yet done in his rehabilitation: he has not dunked, he has not played 5 on 5 competitively, he has not had a full practice. But he said he has his legs under him and is playing despite fatigue, a big step toward getting the nod.
“Sitting and watching for so long, you know, you just miss the game,” Banchero said. “So I’m happy to be playing again.”
