By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Andrea Bargnani was officially presented today by his new team, Laboral Kutxa Baskonia, and he spoke about his ambitions on personal and team level. As he said: “I wanted to be the protagonist of a major project”.
This is pretty much the explanation about his decision to return to Europe, accepting the new challenge in his career: “Every season is always the most important. You have to play every year as if it’s going to be the last and you have to give all of yourself. Baskonia comes from a very good season (ed. note: playing in the Euroleague final four) and the goals should always be to maintain your level or improve. Always try to improve”.
Bargnani also spoke about the difference between the NBA and Europe: “I know I have an important role within this team, but it’s the team which wins or loses. If there is a reason for which I wanted to return to Europe, it’s the concept of the team. For me the team is the most important. I believe that in modern basketball the “4” and the “5” position are virtually the same. There are differences to which I have to readapt, but during those 10 years I’ve been in the NBA, but I also played with the Italian national team”.
The Italian star is happy that he will play with his “friend” Shane Larkin, who was his teammate in the Nets, while Baskonia’s roster also include former Dallas Mavs guard Rodrigue Beaubois.