FOX NEWS
After initially committing to play for the Italian national team in this year’s FIBA World Cup, Paolo Banchero has since decided to play for Team USA.
The Orlando Magic star has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Italy – his father is of Italian descent, and he acquired an Italian passport in 2020.
With the change of heart, Gianni Petrucci, the Italian basketball federation president, says Banchero left him blindsided.
Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic looks on during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 19, 2022, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. (Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
“Betrayal, especially in basketball, is a strong word. Situations like this happen, and personally, I’m used to it. But he fooled us, we were planning a great commercial strategy for him,” Petrucci told Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport on Sunday.
“It was a legitimate decision, but [Banchero] could have made a call to communicate…
