Luigi Datome will be ending his career after the FIBA World Cup. He naturally has the desire to go as far as possible in tournament.
The 35 old basketball player has made the decision to “hang up his boots” after 20 years of active basketball playing.
Due to frequent injuries in the past season, Datome managed to appear in only a few EuroLeague matches, where he averaged 3.7 points. His best performances in the elite European competition were as a player for Fenerbahce in the 2015/16 season, when he averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.
Luigi started his professional career as a player for Montepaschi in 2003, followed by stints with Scafati and Virtus Roma. He then moved to the NBA, representing the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics.
He returned to Europe upon Zeljko Obradovic invitation, and while playing for Fenerbahce, he became the EuroLeague champion in 2017. After spending five years with the Istanbul giants, he returned to Italy, concluding his career as a player for Milan.
“I don’t know how the World Cup will turn out, but this summer with the guys has been fantastic, regardless of the outcome. Though I hope to conclude my career with success. We have a clear identity and hierarchy; we know who the key players are.
Our primary goal is to advance from the group stage, and then to elevate our level of play. We’ve performed well in the preparations,” adds Datome.
Italy will compete in Group A at the FIBA World Cup, facing opponents Angola, Philippines, and Dominican Republic.