ITA/USA - Back problems force Gallinari to play waiting game with Knicks

NEW YORK (NBA) - Danilo Gallinari's ailing back prevented him from playing for Italy in this summer's EuroBasket 2009 qualifying campaign and it has also kept him off the court for the New York Knicks in their pre-season games

New Knicks boss Mike D'Antoni, an assistant coach with Team USA's Olympic gold-medal winning team this summer in China, admits he's in no rush to have Gallinari in action for fear of aggravating the 20-year-old's problem.

"He's definitely behind. He's never played in the NBA," D'Antoni said in the New York Daily News, before offering this lighthearted comment.

"He's still getting used to eating hamburgers instead of pasta."

D'Antoni is excited about having the former Armani Jeans Milano star with the team but he and everyone else will have to bide their time before  Gallinari shows what he can do on the court.

"It's going to be awhile," D'Antoni said. "You have to have patience with it. We're not going to push it too much but at the same time, we'd like to see some progress and have him out there.

"He knows how to play. We just have to get him adapted to the NBA and the American way of life. And how tough the NBA is. The rest is going to be up to him."

Gallinari was picked sixth overall in this summer's draft and is anxious to show Knicks fans that he was worthy of such a high selection.

"I think I will have the time to play and show something," Gallinari said.

 "It will be a long year, a long season, I will have the time."

Despite his 2.08m height, the versatile Gallinari isn't expected to play at power forward.

"I see him as a small forward," D'Antoni said. "I don't think his body can take the beating right now. I see him out on the perimeter."

FIBA