Duke’s Paolo Banchero takes lessons learned from Mom all the way to Final Four
Written by sidhanta
Written by sidhanta
Rhonda Smith-Banchero stood amid Duke’s jubilant fans at Chase Center, wearing her son’s No. 5 jersey and a wide smile on her face.
On the court below, the celebration was winding down after the Blue Devils steamed to their West Regional championship Saturday night
Her satisfaction, naturally rooted in motherly pride, included a distinctive element — because Paolo Banchero also counts as her star pupil, in a sense.
Smith-Banchero left the University of Washington in 1995 (then known as Rhonda Smith) as the school’s all-time leading scorer.
She played professionally overseas and in two U.S. pro leagues, before returning to Seattle to coach at a junior college and Holy Names High School, where her team won a state championship.
Paolo tagged along to many of his mom’s practices in those days, soaking up tough-love lessons about the game.
“When I was coaching,” Smith-Banchero said, “I just told him, ‘Don’t practice bad shots and look at the women when they play because they’ll teach you how to screen, back-door cut, bounce pass.