Without haste. The Virtus He looks around and knows he has two paths to take. The first leads to the latest addition to the roster, the second to the jersey sponsor to show off in Euroleague.
On the first one there is the full-time commitment of Paolo Ronci, Juventus general manager. The profile has been established for some time: a center—the only one currently in the position is Momo Diouf—who can also play as a power forward. Virtus has been monitoring a number of players: it’s not out of the question that, from the profiles being followed and mentioned, an outsider could emerge. Perhaps someone younger, precisely with a view to a team built not only for the present, but also for the future. Remembering that, among other things, even before winning the Scudetto, Virtus had achieved a prestigious result: securing participation in the Euroleague for the next three years.
Virtus, which on paper, does not even give up on the path that leads to the young player Francis Ferrari, fresh from success with the under 20s. One of the protégés of Stefano Pillastrini, coach of Cividale, will start the season in Friuli, but it is not excluded that he will somehow continue it in the shadow of the Two Towers, wearing a black and white shirt.
However, the fans’ expectations are growing, also to discover the new faces of the group that will start training at the end of the month, under the orders of Dusko Ivanovic.
Like the Italian internationals, Alen Smailagic, the Serbian who played in Kaunas last season and, before that, in Belgrade for Partizan, will also be sidelined immediately. Meanwhile, Alen was injured at the Serbian camp ahead of the European Championships. This injury isn’t a concern for the Black V, as coach Pesic himself has said he’s ready to get the player back as soon as possible.
Finally, a couple of interesting facts about two former Juventus players. Devontae Cacok, who has been sidelined for practically a year and a half and whom Virtus hoped to bring back, was supposed to play in Murcia, Spain a year ago (without success).
Rayjon Tucker, whom Ivanovic had effectively cut, along with Andrejs Grazulis, after unsuccessfully trying to make him fit for the Black V’s game, is headed to Puerto Rico. Rayjon has signed for the Vaqueros de Bayamon, the team that also features Italian forward Danilo Gallinari.