By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague opening week just around the corner, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan added Naz Mitrou-Long to the injury list.
Mitrou-Long, 29, was injured in the Frecciarossa Supercoppa 2022 Semifinal game versus Virtus Segafredo Bologna. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Per the press release: “During the Supercup semifinal game, last Wednesday, Naz Mitrou-Long reported a muscle injury to the quadriceps of the right thigh which will be re-evaluated in two weeks.”
The Canada-born guard, soon to be confirmed as a Greek citizen, was among the upgrades for Olimpia Milano during the offseason. Moving from the NBA, he joined Germani Brescia for the 2021-22 season. The second season in Europe will lift him to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. However, his debut in Europe’s premier club continental competition will be delayed due to the early-season setback.
Before using overseas options, Mitrou-Long tallied 20 games played in the NBA between the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers. The Iowa State product spent most of the early stages of his professional career competing in the G League as a leading player of the Salt Lake City Stars and Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
His new team, coached by Ettore Messina, is set to visit LDLC AVEL Villeurbanne in Round 1 of the 2022-23 EuroLeague Regular Season. Prior to the game scheduled for next Thursday, a domestic home fixture opposite Brescia will open the new LBA Serie A Regular Season Sunday. As for the Italy Super Cup held in Brescia, Virtus Bologna eliminated Milan and then took down Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari to win the first domestic title of the season.