With Paolo Banchero stalling, what are the other options for Italy? / News - Basketnews.com

Until last year, it was almost certain that Paolo Banchero would play with the Italian national team. However, in the last few months, the situation surrounding the Rookie of the Year has completely changed. If he decides not to wear the colors of the Azzurri, which other options might be on the table for Italy?

Credit: Diop (FIBA) Thompson (Getty Images) - DiVincenzo (Getty Images) Credit Diop (FIBA) Thompson (Getty Images) - DiVincenzo (Getty Images)

On Saturday, Italy learned it will play in the Group A of the upcoming FIBA World Cup. The team coached by Gianmarco Pozzecco will face Angola, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic.

Paolo Banchero

MIN:33.74PTS:19.96 (52.72%)REB:6.9As:3.74ST:0.83BL:0.54TO:2.78GM:72ProfileNBA2022/2023

After two very positive experiences at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and at EuroBasket last summer, Italy will try to have a nice run for the third summer in a row.

However, one question lingers over Italy's head: what will happen with Paolo Banchero? In September of last year, during the Orlando Magic training camp, Paolo Banchero posed for a picture with the Italian flag over his shoulders.

A couple of months later, in an interview with the FIBA website, he claimed he wanted to help Italy, although he didn't specify if he would be available for the 2023 World Cup.

"I'll be excited to bring my contribution to the team at some point and achieve great things. I always want to know more about Italy, about the culture, and about the national team because I'm also a student of the game," Banchero stated.

"When I play for the national team, I'll be another player, and I'll commit myself to be the best teammate, example, and player I can be to help Italy," he added.

In short, until before the start of 2023, it seemed that Banchero's debut with the Italian national team would only be a matter of time.

However, with the arrival of 2023, things have changed. The Italian federation has shown less confidence about what Banchero's future would be with the Azzurri jersey, and the player himself seems to have changed course.

In an interview on former player Quentin Richardson's podcast, Banchero explained that the choice about which national team to represent at the FIBA level was complex and that he had not yet made a real decision about his future from that standpoint.

John Petrucelli

Team:Germani BresciaPosition:SGAge:30Height:193 cmWeight:86 kgBirth place:New York, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

"I don't know yet; that's the question everybody is asking," the Rookie of the Year answered during the podcast.

"There was the opportunity to take the passport, and I did it. Of course, my family, from my father's side, has Italian roots, but we've never been to the country yet. When I was trying out in high school for USA junior teams, I got cut a couple of times, and it left a salty taste in my mouth.

Italy approached me when I was 17-18, and they helped me get citizenship. They wanted to put me on the national team right away, but because of Covid, everything was put on hold. After Covid, you know, the situation changed. I went to school at Duke; I was drafted number 1, so now Team USA and Grant reached out to me, so now it's a decision that I have to take," Banchero explained in detail.

Even Gianmarco Pozzecco, the head coach of the national team, in a recent interview with Tuttosport, admitted that the scenario surrounding Banchero has changed.

"With great foresight, the federation had identified talent with great ethics. Then he grew beyond the wildest predictions. We are happy for him because he deserved it, but now his choice is more difficult.

Banchero is a very serious guy with clear ideas. We have dreamed, we keep hope lit, and much has changed. He will give an answer in time," Pozzecco noted.

What until last year seemed an almost certainty has now taken on the appearance, at best, of hope.

But given that FIBA rules allow having a naturalized player on the team in major international tournaments and many national teams have taken advantage of this situation to add highly talented players and achieve major success, what alternatives might Italy have?

Should Banchero decide to represent the United States and give up a chance to play for Italy, what other players could try to take his spot as a naturalized player? Let's try to figure it out and analyze some of the candidates for that role.

John Petrucelli

The most logical choice in terms of continuity would certainly lead to John Petrucelli, a swingman for EuroCup side Germani Brescia. Petrucelli obtained Italian citizenship last summer, right before signing a contract extension with Brescia.

He made his first official appearance with the Italian national team in June last year, playing in an exhibition game against Slovenia.

Because of the Italian Legabasket rules, after he made that first appearance with the Italian NT, he became eligible to be registered as a domestic player for Brescia, something that made him much more valuable on the Italian market.

Since then, Petrucelli has played four times with coach Pozzecco's side. He already knows the team and the environment. Although he has become a major scoring contributor in Brescia, Petrucelli is more of a system guy with the national team that can use his skills as a defensive stopper on the perimeter.

Despite missing some time with an injury, Petrucelli is having a strong season with Brescia, averaging 15.4 points, 2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. The former Ratiopharm Ulm player also shoots 50% from deep in the Italian league.

Having him on the roster for the World Cup would make things easier for coach Pozzecco because Petrucelli wouldn't need time to adapt.

The issue, if anything, is that Petrucelli plays in a role where Italy has already some good options, so he doesn't really fill a void, but his value is something that the national team could always use.

Under contract with Brescia until 2024, Petrucelli is drawing serious interest from the two major Italian clubs, Olimpia Milan and Virtus Bologna.

Olimpia Milan is currently considered the frontrunner to acquire him this summer, a source told BasketNews.

Darius Thompson

In his debut EuroLeague season, Darius Thompson didn't look like a rookie at all. The Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz point guard played a superb season and ended up being one of the best players of the season, even if, in the end, his team didn't qualify for the playoffs.

In the EuroLeague season, he averaged 12.6 points, 6.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game while also shooting 38% from three-point.

As a point guard, Thompson is really a full package: he has an amazing passing vision, can shoot the ball extremely well, operates with great precision in pick-and-roll situations, and he's also a solid defensive player on the perimeter.

His impressive season with Baskonia has already turned Thompson into one of the most coveted players on the market for this summer. Real Madrid, Virtus Bologna, and Olimpia Milan are all rumored to be interested in the player.

But Thompson's growth could become of interest also for the Italian national team. During his time in Brindisi, Thompson married an Italian woman and has already played as an EU player this season.

In an interview with the Italian website Backdoor Podcast, Thompson mentioned that the opportunity to play for the Italian national team is something that he'd consider.

"Maybe it's a possibility in the future, as of right now, I'm not sure. But if there's a possibility, I'll take it for sure. I'd be excited to play," he said back then.

At the moment, it looks unlikely that Thompson could become an option for the national team in time for the World Cup, but he might become a really good solution for the future, especially if Banchero decides to represent the USA.

Having a point guard like Thompson could boost Italy's creativity on the perimeter since, as of right now, the Azzurri don't have a player with the type of skillset that Thompson possesses.

Donte DiVincenzo

After signing a two-year deal with the Golden State Warriors last summer, Donte DiVincenzo quickly turned into a very useful piece for the reigning NBA champions.

DiVincenzo started his pro career with the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that drafted him back in 2018.

After his time in Milwaukee, with which he also won an NBA title, DiVincenzo was traded to the Sacramento Kings, but his time with the Kings was far from successful.

Nicknamed "Big Ragù" because of his Italian roots, DiVincenzo is a certified winner. Despite being only 26 years old, the guard has already won two NCAA championships and an NBA title.

The Italian federation has been in touch with DiVincenzo for a while about the possibility of him getting an Italian passport. For some time, it looked like a genuine possibility.

But with the arrival of Covid, the procedures for the passport slowed down considerably, and with the federation more focused on Banchero's case, DiVincenzo's name kind of disappeared for a while.

Now that there's uncertainty surrounding the decision of Paolo Banchero, Donte DiVincenzo could become an option for the Italian national team again if he'll receive the passport.

He might not be a game-changer like Banchero, but the Golden State Warriors guard is a solid defensive player and an efficient shooter from deep with a proven winning mentality. There are definitely worse options out there.

Ousmane Diop

Senegalese-born big man Ousmane Diop has been playing in Italy for several years now. He made his pro debut back in the 2016-17 season with Italian second-division side Pallacanestro Udine.

From there, he started to attract the interest of bigger clubs and ended up signing a multi-year deal with the Basketball Champions League team Dinamo Sassari.

Because he has played for more than three years straight in Italy, he's considered Italian by formation, although he doesn't have Italian citizenship yet.

This season, he's averaging 10 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game in the Italian league.

A good athlete with a great motor and the ability to make hustle plays on both ends of the ball, Diop recently hinted at the possibility that he might decide to represent Italy at the FIBA level since Senegal hasn't really considered him so far.

"I think that every Senegalese would love to represent his country, and I've been waiting for a call, but so far, nothing has come," Diop explained.

"I don't understand why, despite the poor results, you keep seeing the same players with Senegal, and no one tries to give an opportunity to the younger guys. Playing for Italy? For the moment, I can't because I don't have citizenship, but soon I might be able to have it, at that point, I won't exclude any option."

Italy doesn't have many options in the frontcourt, so the idea of recruiting Diop might have some sense.

Sure, the Senegalese big man is still a work in progress and needs to improve in several aspects of his game, but his physicality and athleticism might be useful moving forward. Not necessarily for the major international tournaments but for the FIBA windows during the season.

Grant Basile

Virginia Tech forward Grant Basile just finished his NCAA career and signed a multi-year deal with Italian side Derthona Basket.

As you probably noticed from his last name, Basile has clear Italian roots and recently received his Italian passport, which makes him eligible to play for the national team.

A stretch-four who can also play as a number 5, Basile is an extremely smart player with great shooting skills and great technique in the post.

A 22-year-old guy is still a work in progress, but the Italian Federation has followed his progress for a while.

In December, when the Italian federation made a trip to the US to talk with Banchero and his representatives, they also took the time to visit Basile and watch a couple of his games.

The Virginia Tech alum is definitely not an option for the World Cup, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him making his debut with the national team during the next FIBA window in 2024.

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