By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Representing Italy in the 2023 FIBA World Cup will be the final chapter for Luigi Datome.
Datome, 35, will retire after the approaching World Cup, as announced by both the Italian Basketball Federation and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Friday.
FIP sharing a ‘Last Dance’ message through social media confirming Datome’s decision.
International experience stretches all the way back to the junior level early in the 21st century. Emerging into the senior national team, he played in the 2019 World Cup and multiple editions of EuroBasket, apart from also helping his country in various Qualifiers toward major tournaments.
Gigi is staying with the Olimpia family
Olimpia Milan’s reaction included previewing a different role for the experienced forward to stay with the team beyond playing days.
Per the press release: “Olimpia Milano wishes to thank Gigi Datome for everything he has done and meant during the three years we spent together. Over his three seasons in Milan, Gigi Datome won the Italian league championship in 2022 and 2023, the Italian Cup in 2021 and 2022, the Super Cup in 2020, and became the first Italian scorer in EuroLeague history. Olimpia also reached the 2021 Final Four with him. He was the MVP of the 2021 Italian Cup Final Eight and the 2023 Italian league playoffs. He also scored 23 points in Game 6 of the 2022 championship series. He had come to win in Italy as a main player. With five trophies in three years, he achieved his goal. But much more than this, along Sergio Rodriguez, Kyle Hines, Nicolò Melli, he contributed significantly to building not only a winning team but a culture that will be handed down to the new generations of Olimpia players. For this reason and to use the enormous experience he developed during his career, Gigi Datome will continue to be part of the Olimpia family and promote its values off the court as much as he did as a player.”
Completing his career at the club level with the Milan club, he upped the sum of games played in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague to 273. The five-year stint at Fenerbahce Dogus/Beko from 2015 to 2020 was highlighted by winning the EuroLeague championship in 2017. Lottomatica Roma from 2003 to 2005 and Montepaschi Siena from 2008 to 2011 marked the remaining stints in Europe’s premier club continental competition.
Taking on the challenge of displaying his talents in the NBA, Datome splitting his run from the Detroit Pistons to the Boston Celtics made his way to 58 games between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.