After a significant courtship, former Duke star Paolo Banchero ultimately decided to play for Team USA. Understandably perhaps, not everyone affiliated with the Italian side is happy with his decision.
Italian Basketball Federation president Gianni Petrucci made his feelings known and he didn’t really hold back: “It was a legitimate decision, but he could have made a call to communicate that to us. Instead, we learned about his decision from the newspapers. In the past few days, he was in Milan, and despite our agreements with his agency, he avoided the meeting with coach Pozzecco. Betrayal, especially in basketball, is a strong word.