Top NBA prospect Paolo Banchero has a bit of a vendetta against one team that could wind up drafting him.
Banchero, a Seattle native, admitted that he has held a bit of resentment against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder controversially relocated to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008, alienating many Sonics fans, including Banchero.
Paolo Banchero is one of us for real 🥺
“I never liked the Thunder”
Future ROCKET!#Rockets #LightTheFuse pic.twitter.com/wLzf4nUwqY
— Paulo Alves (@PauloAlvesNBA) May 30, 2022
“I grew up with the Sonics a little bit. I was like six, I think, when they left, so I never liked the Thunder,” Banchero admitted.
The Thunder hold the No. 2 pick in the draft, and Banchero could certainly be on the board for them. The threat of awkwardness probably won’t dissuade the Thunder from considering him, and Banchero almost certainly knows that.
Banchero would not be the first player to have a pre-draft stance age poorly. For now, that is a long way off.
