Paolo Banchero, former Duke basketball star and the Orlando Magic’s No. 1 draft pick, is already starting to build tensions in the league.
After a few physical altercations with Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, Banchero elevated their conflict on social media. The two went back and forth on both Twitter and Instagram with several fans weighing in.
During Isaiah Thomas’ Zeke-End tournament in Tacoma, Washington, on Sunday night, Banchero was captured getting into a few brief exchanges with Murray. The feud appears to have started when 6-foot-10, 210 pound Banchero knocked Murray to the ground underneath the basket. While the ball flew in the other direction and Murray was helped up by other teammates, the Hawks guard bumped into Banchero before the rookie patted him across the belly.
Murray escalated as the tournament went on and faked out Banchero before giving himself an alley-oop off the backboard. Banchero and Murray exchanged a few words before the Hawks guard threw the ball at him.
Murray was also mocking Banchero on the sidelines during the tournament. He was heard calling Banchero a “little boy,” and saying that he’s “too soft.”
Despite the tournament’s conclusion Sunday night, the feud between Murray and Banchero continued on social media. Murray shared the clip of his fakeout on Instagram with the caption directed to Banchero.
“WELCOME TO THE BIG LEAGUES!!!!!!” Murray captioned the post. ” Disrespectful They Said….. Yeahhhhh I KNOW!!!!!!!!”
Banchero later responded to the post in an Instagram story, mentioning that Murray unfollowed him on the platform and took the exchanges personally.
Murray issued another response to Banchero’s story, explaining that the rookie changed from “the humble boy” as his status grew and that Murray’s lost respect for him.
It appears the exchanges ended Sunday night after Banchero posted a final response to Murray’s story.
“Same humble kid,” Banchero wrote in another Instagram story. “Always vouched for u bro don’t switch the narrative for the internet.” (USAToday)
