Simone Fontecchio highlights Italy's extended candidate list for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. However, Danilo Gallinari won't play in the upcoming World Cup.
Italian national team head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco has unveiled the lineup of 16 players who will start the preparations for the FIBA World Cup 2023, which is set to proceed from August 25 to September 10.
The first camp (Folgaria Training Camp) is scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 2.
In his statement, coach Pozzecco shared some updates on the team's roster. As BasketNews reported earlier, Darius Thompson will not be able to join the national team this summer.
"Darius Thompson will not take part in the activities of the national team this summer," Pozzecco said. "The procedures for obtaining his Italian passport have not yet been completed. At the end of the month, Thompson will become a father, and therefore he would not have been able to be available for the first part of the preparations anyway."
However, the good news is that Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio will be joining the training sessions starting on July 28.
Another NBAer, Danilo Gallinari, will be absent from the major tournament due to injury. After missing the entire 2022-23 season due to a torn ACL in his left knee it's likely that Gallinari will make a full recovery and be good to go for the 2023-24 NBA campaign.
Italy will play seven friendly games ahead of the World Cup. These matches involve opponents of Turkey, China/Cape Verde, Serbia, Greece, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and New Zealand.
Italy is placed in Group A together with Angola, the Dominican Republic, and one of three World Cup host nations, the Philippines.
Full Italy roster:
- Marco Spissu (Umana Reyer Venice)
- Nico Mannion (Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz)
- Stefano Tonut (EA7 Emporio Armani Milan)
- Nicolo Melli (EA7 Emporio Armani Milan)
- Simone Fontecchio (Utah Jazz) from July 28
- Giampaolo Ricci (EA7 Emporio Armani Milan)
- Matteo Spagnolo (Real Madrid)
- Guglielmo Caruso (EA7 Emporio Armani Milan)
- Achille Polonara (Virtus Segafredo Bologna)
- Mouhamet Diouf (Rio Breogan)
- Riccardo Visconti (Pesaro)
- Luca Severini (Derthona Basket)
- Gabriele Procida (ALBA Berlin)
- Tomas Woldetensae (Varese)
- Alessandro Pajola (Virtus Segafredo Bologna)
- Luigi Datome (EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
