This story appears in SLAM KICKS 27.
The interior is thumping. The backpack that sits at his feet shakes from the vibrations pouring out the car door speakers. CD cases rattle in the console below his left elbow. It’s 2011 and Paolo Banchero is riding around in his dad’s car on a gloomy Seattle afternoon. They could be heading to practice, grabbing a bite to eat or simply running errands. But no matter what, one constant remains. It’s Jay-Z’s 2006 album, Kingdom Come.
The soulful piano keys of “Lost One.” The bellowing horns and drum breaks on “Show Me What You Got.” The screaming high hats from “Oh My God.” These are the sounds of Paolo Banchero’s education.
“Jay-Z was one of the first rappers I ever heard in my life,” Paolo says. “That was when I was growing into my own, just as a kid, as a player. So that CD was always on in the car. I heard it countless times, just running it through, and I just grew to love it.”
Glance at Hov’s discography of album covers. Then watch the way Paolo plays the game. It’s an eerily similar sight. Dimly-lit backdrops and a polished getup. There’s a suave commotion going on. A don-like figure stands center stage with thousands of eyes thrust upon his every move. In turn, the figure speaks an eloquent truth. Both words—and pivots in the post—tell the tale of one wise beyond their years.
Paolo Banchero is here. His days as a Blue Devil are gone. That Rookie of the Year award is off in the distance. He’s dropping 30 on ya head, denting defenders’ chests with his shoulder and towing the Orlando Magic back to the playoffs, with the Air Jordan 39 on his feet. Rarified opulence.
Jared ebanks 