Antonello Riva is a name carved in stone in the history of Italian basketball, even if only for the fact that he holds the record for points scored in Serie A with 14,397. The interview on QN on newsstands today, however, is not just an amarcord, but a series of interesting and genuine opinions on contemporary basketball.
Yesterday and today: differences. “The transition from 30 to 24 seconds has changed the game a lot, now it is difficult to see elaborate games leading to complex solutions. It always starts with a pick’n’roll, sometimes it is a bit monotonous. The current imbalance of the game on the 3-point shooting, on the other hand, would have exalted my shot even more. D’Antoni already said this when he was training me in Milan, it would have brought great advantages to those who would have used it a lot “.
Score records, remember. “In a team sport, individual records count relatively, but if they are still they prove the seriousness of a career in which I tried to give my all every night. It was a special evening, in Italy you cannot suspend a match for a records, even if in the US they build shows. Instead the referee Baldini stopped the game anyway, gave me the ball, made me applaud, a splendid memory. “
Title 2022-23. “Milan is strong and profound, has experience and knows how to manage the double commitment with the Euroleague. I’m curious to see how Virtus Bologna will adapt, because it’s like playing two championships. Then I like the renewal of Venice. The fight for the title will be limited to these three “.
Italian national team among the top eight in Europe. “We have to convince ourselves that this is our level. One more or less free throw changes little. We are close to the very first ones. Maybe we are one native away from an even better result (he says laughing, ed). And ‘It is also true that we have not reached the semifinal for 20 years, we can grow further. A ten-year project should be structured in which to expand the base. The Italian coaches are good, but we need more human material. “
How to improve Italian basketball. “First of all the plants, while in Berlin 15 years ago they built a fantastic one with many internal activities, in Rome as a manager we struggled to find space for a food truck outside the building. We are years behind. schools, penetrate the fabric of the city, bring basketball to the children, put a ball in their hand. “
