SIMONE Fontecchio and Luigi Datome headline Italy’s final roster for the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup in Manila.
The Final 12 was named after the Azzurri's tune-up game against Puerto Rico, as reported by fip.it, and before they leave for Shenzhen for the Fiba Solidarity Cup where they will play two more matches in their build-up for the World Cup.
Group A rivals
Italy will be facing the Philippines in its final group stage game on Aug. 29 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. The Azzurri will open the tournament against Angola on Aug. 25 at the Philippine Arena, and will take on Dominican Republic on Aug. 27.
Fontecchio is the only member of the Italy squad who is currently playing in the NBA. The Utah Jazz forward previously had experience in the Euroleague and Italy’s domestic league LBA with Olimpia Milano.
Datome, 35, is the only holdover from the Italy team that played against Gilas Pilipinas in the 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup in Foshan, China.
After stints with the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics, Datome has retired from professional basketball, and this year’s World Cup could be his last with the Azzurri.
Completing the Final 12 are Marco Spissu, Stefano Tonut, Nicolo Melli, Giampaolo Ricci, Matteo Spagnolo, Achille Polonara, Mouhamet Diouf, Luca Severini, and Gabriel Procida.
See Italy routs Puerto Rico to stay unbeaten in five tune-up games
Melli is the other Italy player who has NBA experience, having played for the New Orleans Pelicans and the Dallas Mavericks before playing for Olimpia Milano over the last two seasons.
Tonut is also the domestic league’s MVP in 2021.
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