Pippo Ricci adds an important trophy to his collection
Pippo Ricci, captain of Olimpia Milano and a player on the Italian national basketball team, is the winner of the 2026 L’AltroPallone Award, an honor dedicated to those who view sports as a tool for inclusion, responsibility, and social commitment. The award ceremony will take place on Friday, September 4, in Reggio Emilia, as part of the Emergency Festival.
The rationale behind the award is encapsulated in the title of Ricci’s autobiography, “I Wanted to Be Robin.” While many boys dream of being Batman, the protagonist at the center of the story wanted to be the sidekick: the one who supports others, keeps the team running, and puts himself at everyone’s disposal. His career, however, has led him to become a star of Italian basketball in his own right. After a career built away from the spotlight, Ricci joined Olimpia Milano and the national team, establishing himself as one of the most recognizable faces in Italian basketball.
Off the court, he has maintained the same spirit of teamwork. In fact, he is the founder of Amani Education ODV, an organization working in Tanzania to provide new educational opportunities for girls and boys. Among its projects is the construction of a secondary school in Kisaki, in the Singida region.
“Pippo Ricci embodies a vision of sports that is very close to our hearts—that of someone who doesn’t need to always be the center of attention to be important. He used to say he wanted to be Robin, the sidekick, the one who helps others perform better. He went on to become a key player for Olimpia Milano and the national team, yet without losing that team-oriented mindset—one built on willingness to help and attention to others. The same spirit is evident in his work with Amani Education, where he has put his experience and public profile to work on concrete projects for young people. “That’s why we’ve decided to award him the 2026 L’AltroPallone Award,” says Paolo Maggioni, president of the L’AltroPallone Award and founder of the Gianni Mura Sports Library, which opened this year in Milan.
