Pozzecco comments on DiVincenzo and Eubanks playing for Italy / News - Basketnews.com

Pozzecco said he was tired of having to spend energy chasing people and would be working with the players who are Italian today. If a player were to be naturalized and happy to join the national team system, he would be happy to coach him, Pozzecco said nonetheless.

Credit: Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic Credit Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic

The day before the start of the EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, Italy's head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco weighed in on the possible addition of NBA players to the national team's roster in the future.

Donte DiVincenzo

Team:New York KnicksPosition:SGAge:27Height:196 cmWeight:93 kgBirth place:Newark, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

The New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo recently stated he would like to play for the Italian national team "if everything works out perfectly". Earlier in 2023, BasketNews sources indicated that the Italian Basketball Federation (Italbasket) was seriously considering naturalizing Drew Eubanks.

Battling for a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, every extra player is important. However, Pozzecco is tired of the politics and the games involving naturalized players, especially after the Paolo Banchero debacle.

"I've realized how important it is to know who likes to practice and play for Italy. I don't criticize the choices of Banchero and [Darius] Thompson, but I spent energy keeping up with certain people. I've done it [before], and I don't want to do it again. If someone were to show up with our passport in their pocket in the summer, happy to be coached by me and to play with these teammates, I would be happy. Having said that, I am now focused on those who are Italian today," Pozzecco said in an interview with Corriere dello Sport.

Meanwhile, Marco Belinelli, who's been having a resurgence this season with Virtus Segafredo Bologna, hasn't played for Italy for more than four years. Pozzecco said bringing back the star veteran is one of the options currently at the table.

"He is a champion, a golden boy, and I cannot help but consider the possibility of bringing him to the national team," the coach said. "The choice is not based only on what I believe. We need to see what he thinks."

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