ITA - Belinelli over the moon after selection by Golden State

NEW YORK (NBA) - If Marco Belinelli was uncertain about his immediate future near the end of the Italian Lega A season - the 21-year-old guard has definite plans now after being selected with the 18th pick in the NBA draft.

"I am really over the moon to join Golden State," the 6ft 5in Belinelli said. "We have a great coach, great teammates and we also have European players in the team."

Lithuanian Sarunas Jasikevicius, a player who led Barcelona and Maccabi Tel Aviv (twice) to European titles, is on the Warriors' books.

"I am all the more happier as I will be living in a cosmopolitan city as San Francisco is," Belinelli said.

"This is an added bonus. I think it will be very important for me as it will help me adapt quicker to the NBA."

For consecutive seasons, now, Italy has produced first-round picks.

Last year, Andrea Bargnani led Benetton Treviso to the title and then joined the Toronto Raptors as the first overall selection in the draft.

Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson has always been a great admirer of European talent, having signed Sarunas Marciulionis during his first spell as the Warriors coach in 1989.

When he was at the helm of the Dallas Mavericks, Nelson's Mavs used a lottery pick to choose Germany's Dirk Nowitzki.

An athletic guard at Fortitudo Bologna who made his debut for Italy's national team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, Belinelli faces the prospect of no Euroleague basketball this year after his team's disappointing campaign in the Lega A.

Without that competition to play in, he has an easy decision.

"To hear my name was an indescribable feeling," Belinelli said.
"I was very nervous, and so was my family and my girlfriend.

"There is nothing certain with the NBA draft until the announcement is made. It's difficult to know what to expect but I am calmer now. I will not forget this moment."

Cindy Garcia-Bennett
FIBA