The 22-year-old NBA star Paolo Banchero belongs to African-American and Italian descent and proudly embraces his multi-ethnic lineage.
Paolo Banchero inherited a multi-ethnic heritage from his athletic parents, mother Rhonda and father Mario Banchero.
He is of African-American descent from his mother’s side and Italian descent from his father’s side.
This connection allowed Paolo to obtain Italian citizenship in June 2020, making him eligible to represent Italy in international basketball.
The ancestors of Banchero’s father, Mario, immigrated from Moretta, Italy, to Black Diamond, Washington, in the early 1900s, where they worked as farmers and coal miners.
When Paolo received his Italian citizenship in 2020, Mario shared his pride in an interview with FIBA, showing his joy in Paolo connecting with their Italian ancestry. He said:
Paolo embracing his Italian roots means so much to our family. I’m proud to see him represent our heritage and make a name for himself on the court.
Likewise, Banchero takes great pride in his multiethnic identity, which has shaped his life.
On getting the Italian citizenship, he told FIBA:
I’m proud to wear the Azzurri jersey. I will never forget when I received it for the first time. I have it framed in my room. I’m proud to be playing for Italy and proud of the heritage of my family.
In November 2021, Banchero spoke about learning more about his Italian background, saying:
In the past couple of years, I’ve expanded my knowledge of my Italian heritage, I got more familiar with it, and hopefully I’ll be able to get out there soon, sometime this summer and actually experience Italy.
Paolo Banchero Comes From A Family Of Athletes!
Paolo was born in Seattle, Washington, on November 12, 2002, to parents Rhonda Smith-Banchero and Mario Banchero.
Mario and Rhonda met as student-athletes at the University of Washington in Seattle, where they both excelled in sports.
His mother, Rhonda, is a former basketball star who played for the Washington Huskies women’s basketball team from 1992 to 1995.
She was a standout player, becoming the team’s all-time leading scorer with 2,948 points. Not to forget, Rhonda earned awards like Pac-10 Player of the Year.
After college, Rhonda played professionally; she was drafted into the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and played for the Sacramento Monarchs in 1997.
She also played in the American Basketball League (ABL) for the Seattle Reign and competed overseas in countries like Israel and Bulgaria.
After retiring as a player, Rhonda became a coach. She coached girls’ basketball at Holy Names Academy in Seattle. Likewise, she also coached Paolo when he was young.
Paolo Banchero’s father, Mario, was a football player at the University of Washington, playing as a tight end for the Washington Huskies in the early 1990s.
After his football days, Mario became a businessman in Seattle. He has worked in various roles, including running a meat distribution company.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Paolo Banchero’s younger sister, Mia Banchero, plays soccer for Queens University, and his younger brother, Giulio (Lio) Banchero, plays basketball at O’Dea High School in Seattle.
- He signed a four-year, $50.16 million rookie contract with the Orlando Magic in 2022, with an average annual salary of $12.54 million.
