Detroit Pistons’ Simone Fontecchio Focuses on Healing, Pre-Olympics, and NBA Future as Regular Season Ends

With the end of the regular season, the Detroit Pistons are officially on holiday and consequently an important period begins for Simone Fontecchio where he will have to heal from his foot injury, prepare for the Pre-Olympic with the national team and think about the NBA future given that he will be free agent, albeit restricted and therefore with the Pistons who have the possibility, and it seems the intention, to retain him. The winger born in 1995, after taking part in the traditional end-of-season interviews with the American press, answered questions from the Italian media in a dedicated call and we from Eurosport were also there.

A fairly random injury against Miami, I fell, hit the big toe of my left foot, the toe, unusually, hard. At the beginning we thought it was just a knock and we could get back on the pitch, but instead it’s a long thing, I’m still fighting it, a couple of ligaments are affected: it shouldn’t be serious, I just have to keep working on it.

I’m happy, the best thing is having proven to be a reliable player in every context, I always managed to perform on the pitch

How do you rate the second season?

Very positive season, I am very happy and proud considering that I started in Utah in the third quintet at training camp, then thanks also to everyday work and personal relationships at the Jazz, I managed to push through and when I was traded I was a starter to the Jazz. I’m happy, the best thing is having proven to be a reliable player in every context, I always managed to perform on the pitch.

Simone Fontecchio shooting in the match between Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets, NBA 2023-24

Credit Foto Getty Images

Differences between Jazz and Pistons, and between Will Hardy and Monty Williams

I got along very well with both of them. With Hardy there is trust and an excellent relationship, we still talk, with him I had a different role, he asked me to defend even the most dangerous player, an important task, and in attack to do the right things, take rebounds, shoot on drains. With Monty Williams it went well straight away, he is a more experienced coach, obsessive about details, I appreciated him straight away, he pays a lot of attention in matches, in training, in meetings, I really like his precise nature, then on the pitch Monty it gives me more responsibility to create. From Utah to Detroit it was an easy transition: before I mainly had to shoot or attack closeouts, now with Cade Cunningham creating a lot of ball in hand, I think it helped me to show even more what I am capable of with my style of play, I I found myself almost better.

When you’re in those moments it’s difficult to think positive, one tries, but when you’re inside it’s not easy. What I had in my head for this season, joking with my wife, was to be “zen”, nothing should disturb me. At the beginning I was put to the test, but I resisted, nothing bothered me, nothing touched me, and it paid off there. In the end the work always pays off, luckily the period in which I didn’t play was short.

The Italian summer with the national team at the Pre-Olympic

At the moment I’m very focused on my foot, I want to resolve this thing first, I’ll return to Italy and work with my trainer and my team, then after that I’ll think about the national team. It’s taking longer than expected, we’ll see.

The trade? It was tough, more for my family, for my wife and for my daughter who I haven’t seen for 2 months. But I’m an NBA player, I’m aware of it, it’s always tough at the moment, but we move forward

The reaction to the trade from Utah to the Pistons

I knew there was something, there was interest after speaking to my American agent, I knew it could happen. It was tough, more for my family, for my wife and for my daughter who I haven’t seen for 2 months. I’m an NBA player, I’m aware of it, it’s always tough at the moment, but we move forward, I’m happy with where I am, I’m happy with what I’ve done in the last two months.

Life in the USA in these 2 years

In the end, everyday life is very similar to Spain and Germany, with my wife and daughter, I take her to school, do training and matches. The difference is that I am far away from home and that the USA is different from Europe in terms of culture and habits. I talk less to my parents and brother due to the time difference, but the routine is almost identical.

Simone Fontecchio shooting between three opponents in the match between Italy and Puerto Rico, 2023 World Cup

Credit Foto Getty Images

Beautiful, unique moments that you carry inside you

There have been many beautiful moments, the winning basket against the Warriors last year at home, I will carry it with me forever. So many things, but just putting on an NBA jersey makes me proud every time. Then sequences of races in Utah, in a quintet at Madison Square Garden, when you think about it it gives you shivers. I hope there will be many more.

I walk in the NBA where others have not succeeded

The important thing is to be able to exploit the opportunities, obviously there is a lot of work and preparation behind it, starting from what was done in Europe. Last year in Milan I played little but I worked a lot on an individual level behind closed doors. Finding myself in a situation I had already experienced helped me. It is essential to be able to have the opportunity, then you have to be ready and good at exploiting it.

“I want to stay at the Detroit Pistons”

Simone Fontecchio also spoke to the American media and the main topic is the future, as he is a restricted free agent. The Italian’s goal is to stay in the long term and it seems to be also the idea of ​​the franchise who, to get him, sold a second choice in the 2024 draft and also the rights to Gabriele Procida. “I’ve had a good time, I love Detroit and I love the Pistons organization so we’re all going to work this summer to make sure I stay here long term. That’s what I want, what we want. I think I’ve got proven that I can be a good role player in the NBA, that was my goal at the beginning of the season. I want to thank the Pistons for giving me this opportunity.”

Fontecchio: “Happy to be able to help the team in any way”

2024-04-15 22:54:35
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