Trip Home to Milan an Opportunity for Gallinari
Sep 30 2010 10:29AM
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The Knicks trip to Milan, Italy gives Danilo Gallinari the opportunity to become even more of a leader.
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Basketball usually takes a backseat to soccer in Italy, but when Danilo Gallinari and Coach Mike D’Antoni lead the New York Knicks against Armani Jeans Milano in Milan this Sunday, all eyes will be on hoops at least for a day.
“Milan and all of Italy likes these kinds of events so everyone is going to be following the game,” said Gallinari, who was drafted by the Knicks out of Italy two years ago and has excelled so far in his short NBA career.
The 22-year-old Gallinari began playing professional basketball in Italy at the age of 15 and was acquired by Armani Jeans Milano in 2005. Gallinari’s father, Vittorio, also played professionally in Italy and was a teammate of D’Antoni, who led Olimpia Milano to five Italian League titles and two Euroleague championships.
“Playing in my hometown where I grew up is something special and unbelievable,” Gallinari said. “I’m so happy to be here and proud to play the game.”
Gallinari said he bought “a lot” of tickets for friends and family.
“It will be exciting for him to play for the first time in the NBA in front of his friends and family,” D’Antoni said. “For him it should be a real special moment.”
While Gallinari is certainly excited, he hadn’t spent too much time thinking about the game before the team left Wednesday afternoon and says he’s mainly focused on getting ready for the upcoming season. When Sunday’s exhibition comes around, he will still only be thinking about his team rather than the one he’s playing against.
“I’m just thinking about practicing and what we need to do to improve,” Gallinari said hours before his team boarded the plane. “We have to improve together quick to have a great year. There’s no time to think of special things when I have to think about this team and how to improve with my teammates.”
The Knicks’ Euro trip, which also includes a visit to Paris where New York will play the Minnesota Timberwolves, will be a bonding period for the Knicks, who enter the preseason with 10 new faces. Gallinari plans on showing his teammates around the city and taking them to eat some good Italian food.
“You always build chemistry anytime you go overseas or on the road even,” said forward Amar’e Stoudemire, who traveled to Italy and Germany with the Phoenix Suns during the preseason in 2006. “You’re hanging out together and you really get a chance to collaborate. It’s going to be great for us.”
Gallinari wants to be a leader this season after starting 74 games last season and averaging 15.1 points per game. This could be the perfect start. He showed his new teammates just how good he is during training camp and now he will show them what kind of a leader he could be.
“I just want to be as important (to the team) as I was last year,” Gallinari said. “I want to be as good as I can for this team.”
If Gallinari can reach his full potential, the Knicks should have no problem reaching their goal this season.
“We have one goal, and that’s the playoffs,” Gallinari said. “That’s my goal, that’s the teams goal, and we are looking forward to getting to the playoffs.”
The journey starts in Italy.
“Milan and all of Italy likes these kinds of events so everyone is going to be following the game,” said Gallinari, who was drafted by the Knicks out of Italy two years ago and has excelled so far in his short NBA career.
The 22-year-old Gallinari began playing professional basketball in Italy at the age of 15 and was acquired by Armani Jeans Milano in 2005. Gallinari’s father, Vittorio, also played professionally in Italy and was a teammate of D’Antoni, who led Olimpia Milano to five Italian League titles and two Euroleague championships.
“Playing in my hometown where I grew up is something special and unbelievable,” Gallinari said. “I’m so happy to be here and proud to play the game.”
Gallinari said he bought “a lot” of tickets for friends and family.
“It will be exciting for him to play for the first time in the NBA in front of his friends and family,” D’Antoni said. “For him it should be a real special moment.”
While Gallinari is certainly excited, he hadn’t spent too much time thinking about the game before the team left Wednesday afternoon and says he’s mainly focused on getting ready for the upcoming season. When Sunday’s exhibition comes around, he will still only be thinking about his team rather than the one he’s playing against.
“I’m just thinking about practicing and what we need to do to improve,” Gallinari said hours before his team boarded the plane. “We have to improve together quick to have a great year. There’s no time to think of special things when I have to think about this team and how to improve with my teammates.”
The Knicks’ Euro trip, which also includes a visit to Paris where New York will play the Minnesota Timberwolves, will be a bonding period for the Knicks, who enter the preseason with 10 new faces. Gallinari plans on showing his teammates around the city and taking them to eat some good Italian food.
“You always build chemistry anytime you go overseas or on the road even,” said forward Amar’e Stoudemire, who traveled to Italy and Germany with the Phoenix Suns during the preseason in 2006. “You’re hanging out together and you really get a chance to collaborate. It’s going to be great for us.”
Gallinari wants to be a leader this season after starting 74 games last season and averaging 15.1 points per game. This could be the perfect start. He showed his new teammates just how good he is during training camp and now he will show them what kind of a leader he could be.
“I just want to be as important (to the team) as I was last year,” Gallinari said. “I want to be as good as I can for this team.”
If Gallinari can reach his full potential, the Knicks should have no problem reaching their goal this season.
“We have one goal, and that’s the playoffs,” Gallinari said. “That’s my goal, that’s the teams goal, and we are looking forward to getting to the playoffs.”
The journey starts in Italy.
