Duke's Paolo Banchero: We 'All Learned from' DWI-Related Charge and Have 'Moved On'

Duke freshman forward Paolo Banchero said the team has "moved on" from an incident involving himself and teammate Michael Savarino, who was arrested and charged with driving while impaired and driving after consuming under the age of 21 on Nov. 14.

Banchero, who faces a charge of aiding and abetting impaired driving, said he didn't address the team because "they all know what happened" and want to shift the focus back to the 2021-22 season.

"We all learned from it," Banchero told reporters after scoring 28 points in Monday's 107-81 win over The Citadel. "I can't really say much about it. We learned from it and we handled it as a team. We've moved on, though. We want to get on with our season."

Savarino, the grandson of Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski, remains suspended from team activities following the arrest.

Steve Wiseman of the Raleigh News & Observer reported Nov. 16 that Savarino, 20, was pulled over by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol following a stop-sign violation when the officer noticed signs of impairment, including a "strong odor of alcohol" and "red glassy eyes."

The police report stated the junior guard performed poorly on a field sobriety test and confirmed to police he'd consumed alcohol. It also noted the Jeep SUV being driven by Savarino was registered under Banchero's name. Banchero, 19, was a passenger in the car and released from custody at the scene.

Banchero is due back in court Dec. 8, while Savarino has a Dec. 9 court date, per Wiseman.

Savarino is a former walk-on who was elevated to scholarship status ahead of the current season. No timetable has been provided on his return from suspension.

Banchero, the potential first overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, has continued to play since the incident.

"It's two entirely different situations," Krzyzewski said after last Tuesday's win over Gardner-Webb. "Headlines make it look like it's the same, but it's not. The decisions we made are in conjunction with our authorities and my superiors. We're taking action and we'll continue to take action."

Banchero has averaged 17.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 54.9 percent from the field across his first six college games.

"My teammates had my back, so it wasn't too hard for me," he said Monday. "I'm not going to say it wasn't on my mind the past two games. It was. I feel like today was a bounce-back game for me, and I felt good out there."

Duke (6-0), the fifth-ranked team in the country, continues its season Friday with a high-profile clash against No. 1 Gonzaga (5-0) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.