Mario Banchero is most famous for being the father of Paolo Banchero, a rising star in the NBA. He is believed to be one of the strongest influences Paolo acknowledges.
The talented NBA player has been making many waves in the basketball world. Naturally, it has people curious about every aspect of his life, including his parentage. Given what is now known about Paolo’s parents, it is clear the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
Who Is Mario Banchero?
Mario Banchero is Paolo Banchero’s father.
In his heydays, Mario Banchero played a lot of football and was good at it. He was a tight end for the Husky football team alongside Paolo’s uncle. Unfortunately, Mario Banchero’s football career never progressed because he quit to pursue business.
He ran a business known as Mondi and Sons Inc. Outside of that, Mario also became a managing partner at 1150 LLC. Mario Banchero’s lineage is allegedly of Italian descent.
Mario’s grandfather was said to have immigrated from Northern Italy in search of work in the coal mines of Black Diamond, Washington. Nevertheless, Mario and his son Paolo are proud of their heritage. The former football player met the woman he married, Rhonda, while they enrolled at the Pac-12 institution.
She was also a sports person, and it is believed Paolo gained his smooth moves from her genetically and physically. Mario and Rhonda greatly influenced Paolo, who has made a name for himself in the NBA.
Who Is Rhonda Banchero, Paolo Banchero’s Mother?
Before Rhonda Banchero and Mario Banchero welcomed Paolo, she was a basketball athlete with a bright future. Rhonda played basketball in her college days. She played with the Washington Huskies Women’s basketball team.
Rhonda had 2,948 points and 803 rebounds and was well on her way to becoming the first Washington player to join the WNBA. She was selected in the third round of the 2000 draft and played professionally abroad and in the American Basketball League.
Rhonda later became a coach at the Holy Names Academy in Seattle. Many people who witnessed her play have not forgotten how good she was.
The talented sportswoman has retired. Most of her work is now philanthropic and focused on helping homeless people, addicted people, and those with mental illness. Aside from Paolo, she and her husband share a son named Lio and a daughter named Mia. They are both younger siblings of the NBA star.
What Paolo Has Said About His Parents
Paolo’s genius on the court is now one of the hot topics among basketball lovers. He broke several records and was the number one overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Paolo draws inspiration from several things, including his mother and father, and is grateful they’ve been with him throughout his journey. The talented NBA star never got to see his mother play in person. However, he has been watching her tapes.
They were more than enough inspiration for Paolo, who always seems to be in great form. He once said,
“Seeing her do that [on tape], you don’t even realize you look like your mom. But I’ve had countless people come up to me and tell me how good she was, and she was a beast.”
Even after she hung her boots, Rhonda’s feats in the world of sports have continued to inspire her son. Paolo said: “My mom won a state championship as a coach, and I remember her cutting down the net, I remember her swirling the net around, and I always wanted to do that. I looked up there [in the stands] and told my mom to make sure she gets the video.”
What Paolo Does to Stay in Form
Paolo is one of the tallest stars the NBA has seen, towering above giants, including Magic Johnson.
When he is not dunking balls on the court during games, all he does is lounge around doing necessary tasks. Also, he ensures he gets adequate rest, catch up on his favorite dramas, and plays video games.
Paolo emphasizes rest and recovery, which he never compromises on. With such great discipline, there is no doubt that the 6ft 10in giant will be breaking several more records before he’s done.