ROME (Italy) - Coach Meo Sacchetti and Italy have bolstered their Olympic roster with the addition of Danilo Gallinari, the country's basketball federation announced on Tuesday.

Gallinari was competing in the NBA play-offs with the Atlanta Hawks when the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament took place in Serbia, where Italy defeated Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Serbians to clinch a spot in the Summer Games for the first time since 2004.

To make way for Gallinari, Italy have removed Awudu Abass from the team. There was speculation that Giampaolo Ricci could be let go, but the Virtus Bologna sharpshooter was never on shaky ground. 

"(Giampaolo) Ricci was already safe inside (the roster)," Sacchetti said to Corriere dello Sport. "I never thought I could leave him at home. Abass? I made some choices."

Gallinari, a 6 ft 10in (2.08m) forward, brings an abundance of quality and experience to the roster. The sixth overall pick in  the 2008 NBA draft, he averaged more than 13 points per game in the 2020-21 regular season and followed that up with 12.8 points per contest in the playoffs.

Atlanta made it to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals but fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Italian Basketball Federation president Gianni Petrucci says Gallinari had always wanted to join the national team once it was possible.

"Sacchetti's decision was not easy," Petrucci said to Corriere dello Sport, "but I'm sure that with his wisdom, he will have solved the problem. And Gallinari sent me a message, 'See you in Tokyo.' So his availability has always been there."

Gallinari played at the OQT in Turin five years ago when Italy made to the Final and suffered a narrow defeat to Croatia.

At the Olympics, Italy will go up against Australia, Nigeria and Germany. The latter also won their way  to Tokyo through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, taking top spot in Split, Croatia. The first game for Sacchetti and Co will be against Germany on July 25.

FIBA