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Paolo Banchero is a foul magnet, and it’s changing the identity of the Orlando Magic

Related Topics: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

The impressive rookie is already shaping the Magic in his image

Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

You’d be forgiven for having forgotten what it feels like.

For the first time in a veritable age, the Magic measure among the league leaders in generating free-throws. An easy-to-overlook component of the game, the value of the modest free-throw is multi-faceted: it’s the only scoring attempt guaranteed to be unguarded; it keeps the scoreboard ticking over when more difficult shots aren’t falling; and it puts pressure on the opposition as they risk incurring further penalties.