Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero says his left groin injury “doesn’t feel too crazy,” but an MRI has confirmed a strain that will keep him out of at least one game. Speaking with Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel on November 14, Banchero described how the injury happened in New York and stressed that he’s hopeful the recovery won’t be long.
The Magic have already ruled Banchero out for November 14’s home game against the Brooklyn Nets, and the team says his status will be determined day-to-day as he responds to treatment.
Paolo Banchero Explains How Groin Injury Happened vs. Knicks
Banchero went down in the second quarter of Wednesday’s road win over the New York Knicks and never returned after halftime. The Magic later announced he had a left groin strain and was done for the night.
Talking with Beede, Banchero walked through the play where he felt the injury flare up.
“Second quarter, I felt a pull in my groin there,” Banchero told Beede, noting that he tried to run up and down the court a couple more times before asking to come out of the game.
From there, the Magic training staff shut him down for the rest of the night. An MRI in Orlando on Thursday confirmed the initial diagnosis of a left groin strain, matching what the team feared when he exited at Madison Square Garden.
Banchero suffered the injury on his 23rd birthday in what became a 124-107 win over New York, a victory that pulled Orlando back to .500 on the season.
Banchero Says Injury Is ‘Not Anything Major’ but Will Miss at Least 1 Game
GettyPaolo Banchero is a huge reason the Orlando Magic have started to salvage their season. Magic fans will wait anxiously for him to return from a groin injury.
While the phrase “groin strain” can sound scary for a player who relies on power and change of direction, Banchero tried to calm fears when he spoke with Beede about how he’s feeling now.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” he said when asked about a timeline. “(It) doesn’t feel too crazy. Just going to take it one day at a time. I really don’t know, couldn’t give you an exact time but hopefully not too long.”
Banchero added that he doesn’t view the strain as a major setback and emphasized he’s still able to walk and handle normal daily activities, calling the groin “just a little sore” at this stage.
The Magic echoed that cautious optimism in their official update. The team said Banchero will be sidelined against the Nets and evaluated as he goes through treatment, with no firm return date yet.
Multiple national outlets have reported that the expectation is for Banchero to miss at least one game and possibly more, depending on how he responds over the next few days.
In the short term, Orlando will likely lean more on Franz Wagner as a primary scorer, while forwards like Jonathan Isaac and rookie Tristan da Silva could see bumps in minutes and touches.
What Banchero’s Groin Injury Means for the Magic
Any time Banchero misses time is a significant concern for the Magic. The former No. 1 overall pick has blossomed into one of the NBA’s rising stars and is once again leading Orlando in scoring this season. He’s averaging 21.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists through the first 12 games.
After a 1-4 start, the Magic have stabilized by winning five of their last seven, climbing back into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Losing Banchero, even briefly, puts more pressure on the rest of the rotation to keep that momentum going.
The immediate challenge comes Friday against the Nets, followed by a Sunday matchup with the Houston Rockets. Orlando’s frontcourt depth gives coach Jamahl Mosley some options, but there’s no true replacement for Banchero’s blend of scoring, playmaking and size.
It’s also worth remembering that Banchero is not far removed from another significant injury layoff. Last season, he missed a large chunk of time with an oblique injury before returning in January and quickly regaining All-Star form, a reminder of how important he is when healthy.
For now, the Magic and their fans will be hoping Banchero’s own read on the situation is correct and that the groin strain is more of a short-term scare than a long-term problem.
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