Luigi Datome shared his initial thoughts after Italy’s loss to the USA, marking the end of their participation in the FIBA World Cup.
The seasoned Italian player played his final career game and pointed to the physical superiority of Steve Kerr’s team as the primary reason for their defeat.
“Their athletic level, physique, and physical conditioning are on a different level compared to ours. They scored a lot of points while we struggled to find our way to the basket. The deficit in the third quarter became insurmountable, and we weren’t at a competitive level high enough. It’s not easy when you lose by such a margin, but the opponent truly played at a higher level,” Luigi Datome stated.
The USA appeared more powerful on both ends of the court, prompting Datome to emphasize their defensive approach.
“When they start taking over, you no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel. We had our game plan, but when the gap on the court is that significant, you just have to give them credit.”
Despite the loss, Luigi Datome emphasizes that his attitude and opinion toward the national team will not change.
“The positive thing is that I’m genuinely happy to have had the opportunity to be part of this team. My attitude toward this group of people won’t change after this or any future games. I’m sorry we didn’t have enough luck, which sent us to the USA after finishing first in our group. We couldn’t do anything about it, yet we had a wonderful FIBA World Cup. We deserve to finish it in the best possible way,” said the Italian. He concluded the conversation by reflecting on the performances of young players in the Italian jersey:
“It was a good moment for them. For example, I had never played against the USA before, so it’s undoubtedly good for them. Little by little, they will get their space; there’s no rush. The most important thing for them is that they will get more minutes as time goes on.”