2023 FIBA World Cup: Danilo Gallinari shockingly left out of Italy’s 16-man preliminary roster

Danilo Gallinari of the Washington Wizards won’t be playing for Italy in the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup. Italy head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco announced the team’s 16-man preliminary roster for next month’s tournament in the Philippines.

According to BasketNews, Gallinari has not been cleared to participate in the World Cup. He suffered a torn ACL playing for Italy during a World Cup qualifying against Georgia last year. He missed the entire 2022-23 NBA season for the Boston Celtics due to the injury.

The Celtics ended up trading him to the Wizards this summer as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal. He’ll be likely ready before the start of the 2023-24 NBA season but not fully recovered to play for the national team next month.

Danilo Gallinari suffered the injury early in the fourth quarter of their World Cup qualifying game against Georgia last August. Gallinari was diagnosed with a torn left ACL in his left knee. He already tore that same ligament back in 2013 and missed the entire 2013-14 NBA season for the Denver Nuggets.

The 34-year-old veteran also missed the 2022 EuroBasket for Italy last year. The national reached the quarterfinals after beating the Nikola Jokic-less Serbia. They put up a fight against France in the quarters but lost 93-85 in overtime.

Italy was drawn in Group A of the World Cup with hosts the Philippines, as well as the Dominican Republic and Angola. They are already starting to prepare for the tournament and are expected to have seven tune-up games before heading to the Philippines.

Here’s the preliminary roster for Italy:

• Luigi Datome (Olimpia Milano)
• Mouhamet Diouf (Rio Breogan)
• Guglielmo Caruso (Olimpia Milano)
• Simone Fontecchio (Utah Jazz)
• Nico Mannion (Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz)
• Nicolo Melli (Olimpia Milano)
• Alessandro Pajola (Virtus Segafredo Bologna)
• Achille Polonara (Virtus Segafredo Bologna)
• Gabriele Procida (ALBA Berlin)
• Giampaolo Ricci (Olimpia Milano)
• Luca Severini (Derthona Basket)
• Matteo Spagnolo (Real Madrid)
• Marco Spissu (Umana Reyer Venice)
• Stefano Tonut (Olimpia Milano)
• Riccardo Visconti (Pesaro)
• Tomas Woldetensae (Varese)

Danilo Gallinari hoping to play for Italy before Wizards trade

Danilo Gallinari had high hopes back in May when he discussed potentially playing for Italy in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Gallinari told Shams Charania of The Athletic that he’ll discuss the matter with the Boston Celtics before making a final decision.

However, Gallinari was traded a month later to the Washington Wizards so his status was basically in question. He already started doing some light contact work during his rehabilitation but might have been cleared to do a full workout less than a year after suffering the knee injury.