By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Italy head coach Luca Banchi announced a 16-man roster for the opening window of the second round of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
Miami Heat forward Simone Fontecchio is the only NBA player in the squad, which also features experienced EuroLeague names such as Nicolo Melli, Darius Thompson and Stefano Tonut.
Italy enters the second round with a 5-1 record, sitting behind unbeaten Turkiye (6-0) and ahead of Serbia (4-2). Lithuania and Iceland are both 3-3, while Bosnia and Herzegovina sits at 2-4. The top three teams will qualify for the World Cup.
Banchi’s team will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tuzla on August 28 before hosting Serbia in Pesaro on August 31. Before the two qualifiers, the Azzurri will hold a training camp in Folgaria and face Estonia on August 22.
Italy’s roster: Nico Mannion (BC Roma SPQR), Stefano Tonut (Olimpia Milano), Nicolo Melli (Fenerbahce), Simone Fontecchio (Miami Heat), Darius Thompson (Olimpia Milano), Amedeo Tessitori (Reyer Venezia), Giampaolo Ricci (Olimpia Milano), Matteo Spagnolo (Baskonia), Gabriele Procida (Real Madrid), Saliou Niang (Virtus Bologna), Francesco Ferrari (Virtus Bologna), Tommaso Baldasso (Virtus Bologna), Nicola Akele (Olimpia Milano), Giovanni Emejuru (BC Roma SPQR), Alessandro Pajola (Partizan) and John Petrucelli (Napoli).
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