Hackett can recover from draft day misery

LONDON [The Friday Eurovision] - The life of a sportsman is filled with highs and lows. Daniel Hackett, a promising Italy international who declared for the NBA Draft after his junior season at the University of South California, is certainly feeling low right now. He didn't make the grade last week and went undrafted. 

Hackett had already caught wind that things were not going according to plan because even before last week’s Madison Square Garden draft extravaganza, he had signed a contract with Benetton Treviso.

The fact that he had joined the club once coached by Mike D’Antoni and Ettore Messina, and the club where former number one draft pick Andrea Bargnani of the Toronto Raptors cut his teeth in the Italian game, did little to soften the disappointment of going undrafted.

Hackett was full of despair when he spoke in the Italian press this week.

"They gave me a 50% chance to be drafted,” he said.

“It could have gone well or badly, therefore, I was prepared. It has been a big blow. I am disappointed due to all the work I had done recently but I have nothing to regret. I have given everything I had and I accept the verdict with tranquility."

Hackett needs to get over the NBA setback and quick.

He is not the only player to go undrafted and unlike many coming out of the American college ranks, he already has a big name in Italy.

The old continent could end up being his launchpad to stardom.

Hackett sounds like an American when he speaks English, but he is an Italian.

His father played professional basketball in Italy and Hackett was born in the country, in Forlimpopoli.

Because he is a gifted point guard who had been through the PAC-10 and  NCAA Tournament wars and also has a European passport, Hackett was an attractive player to sign for Benetton. Looking at recent history, there aren't many clubs in Europe that are better for players to raise their profile than Benetton Treviso. 

Hackett not only has a chance to help the northern Italian side qualify for the Euroleague (they are  among eight teams in a qualifying round that will go after two spots in the competition). He also has an opportunity to become an integral part of the Italian national team set-up. He must not allow the disappointment about the NBA become so great that he ends up not helping Italy in their hour of need this summer in the Additional Qualifying Round for the EuroBasket.

What better way could there be to show NBA executives what they’re missing than by going up an NBA-talent laden France squad, one that has arguably the best point guard in the world in Tony Parker?

"I still need to talk to (Italy) coach (Carlo) Recalcati and to (Italy Basketball Federation president) Mr. (Dino) Meneghin to prepare the summer plans,” Hackett said.

“I have taken some holidays to get over the draft and if they (Italy) want me, I will go there happily. I would like to arrive to the training camp in good condition. Right now I am burned out, after two months of exhaustion and the final disappointment.”

You know what I think, Daniel? Focus on the opportunities that you have in front of you and everything will be okay.

"The dream of playing in the NBA, I have put it away,” he said. “Now I want to grow in Italy. I am 21 and I am happy with the sacrifices I have made in recent years, with the experience at Southern California and I am delighted to have joined a great club like Benetton. All my attention now will be on the Azzurri colors."

Jeff Taylor
FIBA