The first thing that strikes you about him is not the prestigious shirt he wears, nor the aura that could accompany someone who, so young, manages to reach the highest European levels. It’s the look. The same as when, as a boy, he ran between the pitches of Lipomo and the playgrounds in front of Pianella with a worn-out ball and a dream too big to fit in his pocket.
Today that desire has brought him to one of the most iconic and prestigious clubs in the world, yet there is still something of that young man who grew up between the outskirts of Como and Cantù, the small town in Brianza that made him a basketball player ready for the big stages.
He is Gabriele Procida, born in 2002, who grew up in the youth teams of PGC Cantù, arrived at Pallacanestro Cantù with which he made his debut in Serie A in 2019, and was then chosen in the NBA Draft in 2022 with pick number 36 by the Detroit Pistons. However, he decided to accept Alba Berlin’s offer for three seasons, to then sign in 2025 with Real Madrid coached by another Italian, Sergio Scariolo.
In short, we are not just talking about a talent on the rise, but about a story that starts from Brianza and which seems destined to surprise us again.
We meet him at the Movistar Arena, a temple with a capacity of more than 15,000 seats, home of the ‘Blancos’ and located in the heart of the Spanish capital.
Gabriele we are here in an arena that you have probably always dreamed of playing in. How does it feel to be part of a club that has made the history of international basketball?
At first, when the news started to take shape, I have to be honest, I didn’t know whether to believe it. It often happens that market rumors do not materialize and disappear almost immediately.
Did you dream about it as a boy?
This is a club that every player would dream of arriving at. I still remember when I watched the matches on TV with my father and in my head I dreamed, one day, of being able to play on these parquets. I don’t think I can describe the emotion I felt when I realized it was all true. Now I’m here and it’s amazing.
Let’s be honest, isn’t it that this call, perhaps unconsciously, can suggest your consecration now at these levels?
In reality, absolutely not – the young talent from Como replies almost annoyed – I work every day to prove to myself and to those who wanted me in Madrid that the choice to want me in this shirt was the right one. My thought is only to train hard and find more and more space on the pitch, we’ll see what the future holds for me later.
Describe a typical day when you’re not busy in the field.
Between matches and training, including traveling to away games, free time is scarce, but even when I have a minimum of it available, I train. We have a huge structure, similar to a citadel, in which there is everything an athlete needs. Swimming pools, weight gyms, basketball courts with coaches who take care of individual appearance, physical recovery, physiotherapy. An all-round environment made especially for us Real Madrid athletes. I have to keep myself in rhythm and this allows me to constantly stay on track. When I’m not in the gym however, I read, watch films, relax, play PlayStation.
What is it like to live in another European capital like Madrid, after Berlin?
I feel very good, above all the climate is beautiful and almost comfortable. In Germany it was very grey, it often rained, but here it’s sunny most of the time, it’s nice. It’s very big, there are good restaurants, I’m lucky.
Returning to the Procida player, what do you feel you need to improve on the most from a technical point of view?
I have to grow in everything. On the readings in attack, on the solidity in defense, on the three-point shot. My goal – he says – is to always improve myself and become an all-around player, reliable and present on every side of the pitch and in every aspect of the game.
Do you miss Brianza?
Very, very much. I miss my parents, my friends, but when I have two days free, I always come back willingly and then, in one way or another, we keep in touch and therefore I’m always updated on what’s happening in my area.
You are very attached to Cantù for obvious reasons. What are the memories or characters from your experience in biancoblù that you carry in your heart?
The Under 16 championship certainly, but then Coach Totò Visciglia, who I believe had an important role in my basketball and human growth, then Coach Pancotto with whom I made my debut in Serie A. One big regret I have – he concludes – is not having lived the experience of Pianella with the fiery support of the Eagles, but I will always remain linked to Cantù and for me it will always be home.
