By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Danilo Gallinari went back to 2008 and his first meeting with Kobe Bryant, and linked an Italian connection to the lack of formalities before a 61-point display by the late NBA superstar.
In an appearance on the Run Your Race podcast, the 36-year-old Italian forward recalled following Team USA practice in 2008. Before his rookie NBA season, he was in Las Vegas as Kobe and his international teammates were preparing for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
“He’s like listen, stay here a little bit more this practice because Kobe wants to meet you,” he remembered a message delivered by a member of the coaching staff of the United States, who was also working with Gallinari and preparing him for his first NBA season.
“I stayed there, I waited, you know he’s icing, stretching, you wait maybe an hour after practice. And then you know, not a lot of people in the States can say my name right, and there I hear somebody say, ‘Hey Danilo, come here. ’ In Italian, ‘Danilo, come here.’ Who’s speaking Italian in Vegas at Team USA practice?, I look and it’s Kobe,” described Gallinari, “He’s walking with the ice on his knees and everything. I’m walking down the stairs, and I’m there talking to Kobe. So that was amazing, he gave me his shoes. I go back to my room, and there is a letter that he wrote for me.”
The next appointment was in a different situation, without any need to surface the Italian connection. With the New York Knicks taking on the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2009, Kobe dropped 61 points.
“I’m thinking Kobe is being amazing with me. I’m thinking, ‘OK, he’s going to say something nice to me in Italian before the game, or whatever.’ He didn’t talk to anybody that game,” recalled the Milan native, “He came on the court, stayed in his position, didn’t move, didn’t talk, didn’t look, nothing. I’m like, OK. And this guy goes for 61.”
A veteran of 828 NBA games, Gallinari, the sixth pick in the 2008 draft, is currently playing for the Bayamon Vaqueros in Puerto Rico.