​The end of last season left a sour feeling for Paolo Banchero after having one of the best playoff performances of his career against the Detroit Pistons. Despite the strong effort, it ended with him and the Magic getting knocked out in the first round for a third consecutive year.Now entering his fifth season, he knows the Magic need to play with a sense of urgency this season.Banchero said last season was disappointing across the board, but the team has moved on and is entering the new season with a new coaching staff and renewed energy. He said the disappointment has motivated the entire roster, not just himself, and believes the team is excited about the goals it has set for the upcoming season.Banchero said there has been a greater sense of urgency around the team, with players arriving more prepared for the demands of a long NBA season. He believes the intensity has increased as the team prepares for the grind that comes with playing 82 games.While he expects the team to be more organized and consistent in how it approaches each game. With players more comfortable in their roles, he expects the Magic to play with greater intensity on both ends of the floor and become more connected as a group despite having a largely similar roster, The team is focused on putting the group first and understanding that everyone will be needed to reach its goals. He said success won’t come from one or two players carrying the team, pointing to the increased work ethic, focus and seriousness throughout the roster as evidence of the team’s collective approach.On the latest episode of the Full Court Magic Podcast, host Don Strouble and I discussed why it is integral for Banchero to make the jump into a true superstar. Here’s what we had to say: ’”If the Magic want to be a top-five seed in the Eastern Conference and make it out of the first round of the playoffs after getting knocked out three times consecutively, Paolo needs to be a consistent star. There can’t be any off games for Paolo. We’ve seen what he can do in the playoffs and how his game elevates, but we also need to see that throughout the regular season. We need to see the efficiency be at a maximum. We need to see him be aggressive and get to the paint. I understand he is an outside scorer at times and likes to take his jump shots, but when he’s able to establish his game in the interior, it makes the defense a lot more honest, giving him more space to take the mid-range shots, the deep mid-range shots, and the threes that he likes to take.”