Gianmarco Pozzecco’s career with Italy has come full circle in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, taking place here in Manila.
Pozzecco, who won a silver medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece, has successfully led the Azzurri to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. It marks the first time the Italians have reached this stage since the 1998 edition of the tournament, when he played as their point guard.
Despite this achievement, the FIBA Europe Cup 2019 winner wants to shift the focus to the current members of the Azzurri. They defeated Puerto Rico on Sunday, 73-57, advancing to the next round of the tournament.
“There is nothing to compare because that moment was totally different, totally different,” said Pozzecco, whose team back in 1998 fell to USA in the quarterfinals, 77-80. “I got so big respect for all my teammates that played with me in that moment or I played with them… But there is nothing to compare.
“What they did, these guys, is totally different. Every country grew up a lot. You cannot play against anybody and relax. There is nothing to compare. What they did tonight, and what they did not just tonight, you cannot even compare, in my opinion, to not one national team that Italy had in its history,” he continued.
“I was part also when we played in 2004 in Athens and we won the silver medal but what they did until today, we didn’t do it because it was totally different basketball. Okay, we achieved great results and everybody reminds us for that reason in Italy but they did something plus.”
Pozzecco has gained a following here in the Philippines due to his colorful character, making himself known through his past comments about meeting legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao. He admitted that he doesn’t pay too much attention to basketball statistics.
The Italian SuperCup 2019 winner is very emotive on the sidelines and celebrates enthusiastically with his players whenever they win. After the post-game press conference ended, he invited everyone present to join him in paying tribute to Matteo Spagnolo, whose grandmother passed away yesterday.
“I said Matteo, you be ready and he started crying and I was thinking he was nervous because I didn’t use him last two games and so I let him by himself. I didn’t want to embarrass him in front of everybody. But then Gigi (Datome) comes to me and he gave me that terrible news,” said Pozzecco.
“This morning, I woke up and sent him a message. I said Matteo if you need something, stuff like that. He answered to me, ‘Don’t worry coach, I’m okay. Let’s go to win this fucking game!’ So we want to dedicate this victory, all of us, to him and his family.”
