It didn't take long for the 2022 NBA Draft to deliver its first shocking moment.
The Magic kicked off Thursday night's event by selecting Duke's Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick, blowing up several mock drafts that predicted Auburn's Jabari Smith Jr. and Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren would be the first two players off the board. Smith was the No. 1 pick in mock drafts for The Sporting News, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, Bleacher Report and The Ringer.
Banchero didn't even have an official visit or go through a workout with the Magic during the pre-draft process, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania, only adding to the surprising nature of the pick.
How quickly did Banchero's standing shift? Let's take a look back at the reporting from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA's leading insider.
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Paolo Banchero NBA Draft timeline
8:41 a.m. ET — Wojnarowski reports that the order of the first three picks — Smith, Holmgren and Banchero — is growing "increasingly firm."
As team boards finalize today, the 1-2-3 of the NBA Draft is increasingly firm, per sources: Jabari Smith to Orlando, Chet Holmgren to Oklahoma City and Paolo Banchero to Houston.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2022
7:40 p.m. ET — Wait, what? Banchero is suddenly in the mix?
As I just reported on our NBA Draft Show on ESPN, Duke's Paolo Banchero has joined Auburn's Jabari Smith under serious consideration to be franchise's No. 1 overall pick, sources said. There's a real chance draft boards could get blown up at the top of the lottery.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2022
The Magic have kept their final decision tight, but Banchero has emerged as a significant possibility to be drafted No. 1 overall, sources said. https://t.co/Vi3iPSMAsG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2022
7:55 p.m. ET — Banchero is suddenly "looming as the frontrunner" to be the top pick.
As the Orlando Magic move closer to getting on the clock, Duke's Paolo Banchero is now looming as a frontrunner to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2022
8:09 p.m. ET — Oh, so this is really happening.
The Magic are planning to select Banchero No. 1, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/vlqk1uyng3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2022
8:15 p.m. ET — The Magic make it official.
Paolo Banchero is a Orlando Magic @SociosUSA x #MagicDraft pic.twitter.com/gxFVzl1Rl3
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) June 24, 2022
"I can't believe what just happened, honestly," Banchero told ESPN's Monica McNutt. "I never would've thought that this would happen. ... I didn't know I would be here, man."
You're not alone, Paolo.
"I can't believe what just happened." - @Pp_doesit
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) June 24, 2022
📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/wweOt0FZBv
