ORLANDO, Fla. -- Paolo Banchero is getting closer to a return, with the Orlando Magic forward hoping he may be able to play again sometime within the next couple of weeks.
The Magic said Friday that Banchero -- an All-Star last season -- has entered the "return to competition reconditioning" phase of his recovery from a torn oblique, one that has now had him sidelined for 28 of Orlando's 33 games this season.
Banchero said the torn muscle has healed.
"Just been doing a lot of rehab and a lot of ramping up, trying to get my body back to playing shape," Banchero said Friday before the Magic-New York game. "Obviously, I had to sit 30-plus days without really doing much. So, I just had to kind of get my body back in that mode and I'm still in the process of that."
There is no firm timetable for Banchero's return, but barring a setback, it's clearly getting closer. He has not played since getting hurt on Oct. 30 in Chicago and was off to a monster start -- his 29 points per game ranked seventh in the league when he got hurt, and he was averaging 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists as well.
"It's very encouraging to see the way in which he's working," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.
The Magic lost four straight games after Banchero got hurt, then went on a tear with Franz Wagner leading the way -- before he suffered the same injury as Banchero. Wagner was hurt earlier this month, derailing what would have likely been an All-Star-worthy start to his season.
"I had a bad feeling of being on the bench in that game," Banchero said. "When I saw him holding his side, it looked kind of eerily similar to how I felt in Chicago."
There are things Banchero hasn't done yet in his rehab -- he hasn't dunked, he hasn't played 5-on-5 competitively, hasn't been through a full practice. But he said he has his legs under him and is playing through fatigue, a big step toward getting the all-clear.
"Sitting and watching for so long, you know, you just miss the game," Banchero said. "So, I'm happy to be back out there playing."
