ITA – Warriors give Italy thumbs-up on Belinelli

BOLOGNA (EuroBasket 2009 Additional Qualifying Round) - Italy coach Carlo Recalcati revealed at this weekend’s EuroChallenge Final Four in Bologna that Golden State Warriors guard Marco Belinelli will represent the Azzurri this summer when they attempt to qualify for the EuroBasket in Poland.

Golden State have given their blessing for Belinelli, who just finished his second season in the NBA, to compete for his national team when they go up against France and Finland in the Additional Qualifying Round.

“I met the Golden State general manager just yesterday and we talked about Belinelli,” Recalcati said to FIBA.com on Friday night.

“And Golden State is very happy for Belinelli to play with the national team.

“That's good to know that he is with us, the same with (Andrea) Bargnani.”

Belinelli was enjoying a breakout campaign with the Warriors until he suffered a badly sprained ankle in January.

He returned to action several weeks later and finished the year having averaged 8.9 points per game.

Bargnani will start at center for Italy this summer. He enjoyed a very strong third season with Toronto, averaging more than 15 points and five rebounds per contest. His numbers were even better the last two months following the trade of center Jermaine O’Neal to Miami.

“Andrea is arriving in Italy next week and he'll be with the national team in Bormio when we gather on July 2,” Recalcati said.

“I have to check the physical condition of some other veteran players (in Italy). I think that we'll have the best team that we can put on the court next summer.

“We won't have (New York Knicks rookie) Danilo Gallinari, of course, because of his (back) surgery.”

Recalcati doesn’t know if Daniel Hackett will play, either.

Hackett, who just finished his junior season with the University of Southern California, has declared for the NBA draft. If available, he is a near certainty for the squad.

“I believe in Daniel,” Recalcati said.

“I think he is the right kind of player for the national team, and, he wants to play. This is very, very important. He's Italian, he likes the blue shirt and he's an incredible guy.”

Jeff Taylor, Bologna
FIBA