By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Italian national team made quite a solid run this summer as they got past Serbia in the Qualifiers and managed to reach the quarterfinals in the Olympics where they fell to France which went on to win silver.
However, before all of it, there were a few things that bothered the Italians and one of them was Gigi Datome deciding not to join the squad. The reason was that Datome came from an exhausting season of 90 games with Olimpia Milano and has suffered bursitis in his right elbow.
He was criticized for it by many but Datome hasn’t had any doubts about his decision.
“I go to bed with a clear conscience. I’m sorry I wasn’t well, but it was a responsible choice. It’s great to go to the national team, but there is also the responsibility to play in a certain way and my body didn’t allow it. I made this choice reluctantly, but I think it was the right one for me and for the team. Since then they qualified and made a beautiful run in the Olympics,” Datome said, per RealOlimpiaMilano.
Datome also talked about Olimpia Milano and the decision for the team to have two captains – Sergio Rodriguez and Nicolo Melli. He approved, as did the rest.
“It was a choice shared by all. I think Chacho is the emblem of this Olimpia because he was the first great player to believe in this project with Ettore Messina, of this new era. Nicolo is one of the symbolic players of this team, who has already been five years in Milan. A good and right choice, nice to have two captains and to be able to count on both. Nicolo will always remain the same, regardless of the band. Like Kyle (Hines), he’s not a captain, but he’s always a point of reference for us.”