Paolo Banchero will play the World Cup with the U.S.
Paolo Banchero will play the World Cup with the U.S.
The possibility of seeing Paolo Banchero wearing an Italy jersey at the World Cup will not come true. In fact, the first pick in the 2022 NBA draft has decided to play them with the United States: this was reported by “The Athletic,” an authoritative American sports website, which cites sources from the world’s finest basketball league.
In fact, in Italian basketball circles, the initial enthusiasm following coach Pozzecco’s trip to the United States to discuss with Banchero, in the belief, which turned out to be correct, that the Italian-American’s choice would fall on Team USA, had long since waned.
Born in Seattle to an American mother and an Italian father, 21 years old next Nov. 12, Banchero had been granted an Italian passport in 2020 and had come close to wearing the Azzurri jersey at the Tokyo Games in 2021 before it all fell through because of Covid.
Now, although there is no official word yet, he appears to be the eleventh of the expected twelve players to have said yes to the team that coach Steve Kerr, team manager Grant Hill and Sean Ford, U.S. national team dg, are putting together for the World Cup, scheduled to take place in Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan starting Aug. 25. The first roster gathering will be Aug. 3.
In his first season in the NBA with the Orlando Magic Banchero made 72 regular season appearances, averaging 33.8 minutes played per night, 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists, figures that earned him Rookie of the Year honors. The World Championships are scheduled from Aug. 26 to Sept. 10 in Japoe, Indonesia and the Philippines.
