Mario Banchero is famously known as the father of the Italian-American professional basketball player for Orlando Magic, Paolo Banchero.
Paulo was formerly a Blue Devils basketball player before switching sides to where he is today.
In this article, we will talk all about Mario Bancheros Bio, Age, and Facts about Paolo Banchero’s Father. Do read on to know all about him!
Who is Paolo Banchero’s Father Mario Banchero?
Mario Banchero is quite a secretive person so very less is known about him.
There is little information about Mario Banchero’s birth date but claims are that he may be in his late 40s or early 50s.
Mario Banchero’s parents were Italian immigrants who later settled in America.
Mario did not go far with his career and so blessed his son, Paulo with all the gifts he needs to succeed.
Mario Banchero played college football for Washington. Right after school, Mario went into business.
He married Rhonda Banchero and their marriage is blessed with 3 children.
His wife also played college basketball at Washington and is the all-time scoring leader for the women’s program.
Rhonda was drafted in the third round of the 2000 WNBA draft and played six seasons with the Sacramento Monarchs.
She was also inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame in 2004.
Mario’s wife became the basketball coach at Holy Names Academy in Seattle after her retirement.
Mario Banchero has an estimated net worth of about $1 Million as of 2023.
He has earned his income through his business ventures and he can fend for his family very well.
Mario Banchero Age
Mario Banchero is speculated to be born on April 16, 1974.
He is a 49-year-old Italian businessman, ex-collegiate football player, and the father of Paolo Banchero, an American-Italian NBA player.
Facts About Paolo Banchero’s Father
Here are some internet and cool facts about Paolo Banchero’s father Mario Banchero:
Mario Banchero was Also an Athlete
Mario Banchero is an ex-collegiate football player turned businessman who is also known as the father of the Orlando Magic power forward, Paolo Banchero.
The emerging NBA player, Paolo, and ex-University level champion, Rhonda might now overshadow the Banchero patriarch, Mario, however, in the past, he too had quite a name as an athlete.
Despite that, he chose to discontinue his playing career and is now busy being by the side of his children and handling a considerably good business.
Mario Banchero’s Wife was Also an Athlete
Mario Banchero is also the longtime husband of former college and WNBA basketball player, Rhonda Smith Banchero.
Mario’s wife, Rhonda was a champion athlete competing in basketball.
She was a collegiate basketball player for the Washington Huskies Women’s basketball team.
Rhonda had quite a reputation among the viewers and coaches in her time for making several milestones.
After her college career, Mario’s spouse had a total of 2,948 points and 803 rebounds.
In 2000, Rhonda also became a third-round selection in the WNBA draft after which she was a professional player overseas and in the American Basketball League.
Mario Banchero Is An Italian By Ethnicity; His Son Is Also An Italian Citizen
Mario’s ethnicity predominantly includes Italian. His ancestors were from the northern side of the country.
His great-grandparents immigrated from Italy to the United States at the turn of the 20th century (1900).
In their home nation, they were coal miners in Black Diamond and also farmers.
Banchero’s great-grandfather however never had naturalization in the states.
Because of this, Mario’s first son, Paolo was able to receive Italian citizenship. He officially became an Italian in Feb 2020.
Mario And His Wife Rhonda Smith Banchero Attended The Same College And School
Mario Banchero met his wife Rhonda Smith Banchero when they were both athletes at the University of Washington.
At the time Rhonda was a senior and interestingly she and her future husband, Mario grew up a few blocks from each other.
Furthermore, they also attended the same school but never happened to cross each other’s paths.
Mario Banchero NBA Player-Son, Paolo Banchero
Mario Banchero and Rhonda after their wedding welcomed three children.
In addition to Paolo, the Banchero pair also has one more son, Lio, and a daughter, Mia.
The last two are both younger than their NBA player son, Paolo.
Mario’s first son with Rhonda, Paolo is six-foot-ten-inches tall and is Orlando Magic no 5.
Since Mario and his wife, Rhonda were both athletes at their younger ages, they influenced their son, Paolo’s career and understandably even facilitated him with a lot of help.
Banchero Son, Paolo Also Had The Option To Play For Italy
Since Paolo Banchero became an Italian citizen in Feb 2020 at age 17, the Italian Basketball Federation also contacted him for Italy’s EuroBasket qualification games the same year.
Mario’s eldest son, however, opted not to play.
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Mario Other Children Are Also Into Sports
Mario Bancheros and the ex-WNBA champion, Rhonda, and her spouse, Mario’s daughter, Mia is also quite tall for her age.
She was just 17 years old and had already reached a height of 5 feet 10 inches.
While she is also athletic, Mia is rather into soccer and is a defensive midfielder for Reigh Academy and Holy Names Academy in Seattle, Washington.
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What Does Banchero Do Now?
Mario Banchero was also a collegiate player for the Washington Huskies playing as a tight end for their football team.
While he was quite active as an athlete during his collegiate years, Mario after University, involved himself in business and now is a president at Mondo and Sons Inc.
The company is a meat processor and distributor in Tukwila, Seattle, Washington.
He also is a managing partner at 1150 LLC. In the past, an American of Italian descent was also the president of the Genesee Merchants Association.
These were some interesting facts about him. Hope you enjoyed them.
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