The former basketball player, now brand ambassador for Sky Sport, tells his story: “Obama told me that his Bulls missed me, with Michael Jordan I turned to stone. He is my childhood idol”
Ennio Flaiano said that in a man’s life there are five or six unforgettable days in total, the others add up. Marco Belinelli experienced the first in 2006, when with the Italian national team he scored 25 points against the USA of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. Then came the NBA, the victory of the ring and thirteen seasons of joy and great satisfaction. “Even if it was the criticism that pushed me to do better. I listened and took it in, I think over time I silenced them all…”
Marco Belinelli, let’s start from the end. This summer he announced his retirement from basketball at age 39. Was it his choice?
“I think a player must also be aware of his physical and mental state. I gave my all, loving this sport madly. I was in pain and I thought the time had come to say enough.”
Today you are brand ambassador for Sky Sport, what effect does watching matches from the sofa have on you?
“It’s strange, of course. But I’m happy like this. The programming is rich and it will be fun to enjoy it in a role that’s new to me.”
“No, at least for now. Then, when the season gets underway, perhaps, there will be a bit of nostalgia. But not for now.”
Not even to shoot some hoops with friends?
“Do you believe if I tell you that I haven’t picked up a ball anymore? I think about enjoying my family, it doesn’t make me want to go and play.”
He closed by winning with Virtus, at his home. If you could have written it, would you have imagined such a beautiful ending?
“Honestly no, it was amazing beyond all dreams. My eyes shine just talking about it. Celebrating with my daughters and my wife, among my people, is priceless.”
Let’s start the journey down memory lane. How did your passion for basketball come about?
“Thanks to my older brother, I spent the days with him watching the games. We went crazy for Michael Jordan, how many VHS tapes I devoured…”
Then, many years later, Jordan had him as president of the NBA in Charlotte. A memory?
“My phone rings. I answer. On the other end I hear: ‘Hi Marco, it’s Michael. We’ve been looking for you for a long time, you’re the player we wanted’. Something unbelievable. But I have another flash about Jordan.”
“I met him a few years earlier at a Nike event, just enough time to say hello. And his gigantic hand left an impression on me. But, in general, I’ve always spoken little to him. He’s my childhood idol, I turned to stone in front of him.”
Speaking of the NBA, was there a specific moment in which you realized you could become a player capable of competing at those levels?
“I had the real awareness when I went to the Hornets. Before, I had struggled a bit. And there were a lot of people who criticized. ‘He doesn’t know how to defend’, ‘he’s not an NBA’ and so on. I think I silenced them all a bit over time…”
Few would have bet on her at the time…
“There was Bargnani who was at the top and Gallinari, a talent on the rise. And then there was me, the one who had nothing to do with it. And after the first two difficult years, many didn’t consider me up to par. The criticisms, however, pushed me to do better.”
She mentioned the Hornets. How important was a partner like Chris Paul in your journey?
“I would say fundamental. In general in New Orleans they believed in me, giving me space and trust. Chris told me ‘When I pass you the ball, you shoot’, he was sure that I could always score.”
To date, you are the only Italian to have won an NBA ring, in 2014 with the Spurs.
“Yes, a unique moment. One of those that change your life, in which you are reminded of all the sacrifices made to get there.”
An anecdote linked to that victory? Maybe during the celebrations?
“The meeting with Obama. I thought he didn’t even know who I was. But instead…”
“He welcomed me and said ‘how much my Bulls miss you’. We were there for the awards ceremony after the ring. It was beautiful.”
She came to the United States at a very young age. How was the impact?
“Tough, but I became a man. I went to the Warriors and at first I didn’t even have any idea which city they played in. Then I didn’t know how to use an ATM, I didn’t have a driving license…”
An oddity that comes to mind when you think about those times?
“In the United States, on the street, they turn right even if it’s red. For me it was inconceivable. It was like having been catapulted into another world. Little by little, however, I adapted.”
They have always praised her self-sacrifice. Is obsession more important than talent in basketball too?
“Yes, I think that was the key. I don’t know if it’s more important in general, I speak for myself. I’ve improved a lot over time, but I was first of all a hard worker. I think my desire to prove my worth made the difference.”
However, Kobe said of her that she was one of the toughest to face on the court.
“We spoke in Italian, I had the honor of facing him, of really getting to know him, of eating with him and spending evenings together. These are memories that I will always carry with me. His words towards me make me proud. He will remain my hero forever.”
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