He was supposed to be among the twelve who won the Under-20 European Championship in Crete a month ago but instead had to watch from a distance due to a knee injury. Forward born in 2005, from Ivrea and raised basketball-wise at College Borgomanero with his good friends Francesco Ferrari and Andrew Osasuyi, D’Amelio is part of the group of Italian players currently heading to America. His destination is Riverside, a town southeast of Los Angeles where Cal Baptist University is located, competing in the WAC conference.
We spoke with D’Amelio about the Borgomanero environment, partly similar to what he will experience in America, his goals, and also the splendid gold won by his peers.
Tell us about your basketball journey, which last saw you at College Borgomanero, one of the most unique places in Italy.
Before Borgomanero, I started in Ivrea, my hometown. I played one year at Lettera 22, my first year of basketball. I started a bit late, around 14-15 years old, and a few months later I played a tournament with Borgomanero, it was the U-14 EBL. From there, I did several trainings with them, and that summer they took me in. At first, it was tough, I was young, the first time away from home living with others. It was only my second year of basketball, and it was hard to see others who were a bit better than me. Until halfway through the first year, I was hesitant to stay, but after getting to know my housemates well, I felt great. It was like finding a family, I didn’t want to go back home; I was happy… The first year went so-so, but then victories came at the regional level and my first call-up to the national team in 2018, which made me realize basketball was my path. I went to the national team with only three years of basketball behind me, playing with the 2004 group while I was a year younger. A teammate, Francesco Ferrari, was also there. We were always together the first year, playing and living together, and he helped me a lot. It was a great experience, though with a lot of fear because everyone was excellent. The college helped me learn about basketball, passion, curiosity, and everything I know now. We achieved many results through a team that became a family over the years; we were united.
Tell us a bit about Borgomanero, which is a youth reality similar to college. What is the atmosphere like?
I love small towns; big cities are not really for me. So, for me, the atmosphere was peaceful. It’s a small town, so you pretty much know everyone. It’s a concentrated reality; school is only a 15-minute walk away, truly a calm and sociable environment. I already know I will miss it a lot because I’m a calm guy and I like having a quiet place where you come out of the house and find benches and neighbors. But now I’m moving to California, and I’ll have to adapt, but I adapt easily. Over these years, I had school in the morning, then initially I ate at home, and after the clubhouse was built, I ate near the court before training. Then training, and in the evening, I went out with friends.
The idea of going to the NCAA started in the national team, where you played with many guys who are already there like Michelangelo Oberti or Timoty Van Der Knaap?
No, I have dreamed about America since I was little. It was always in my mind. Then, knowing they were already there, I asked them for advice. I mainly spoke with Emmanuel Innocenti and Timoty. They told me it’s a wonderful experience if you find the right place for you; it’s an experience to grab. They encouraged me and motivated me to do it.
How did the recruitment process go? Were you already following NCAA or was America more NBA for you?
When I was with the Under-18 national team, the first contacts came through Instagram. Since I was young, I didn’t give much importance to this interest yet. I didn’t know what I wanted; it seemed early to me. Then, in the last year, thanks to my current agent, things intensified: I told him I wanted to go there, offers arrived, and he focused more on American offers than European, without ignoring anything, as I wanted to keep all options open. My relationship with basketball in America really starts with high school: I always watched videos from Jalen Green’s prep school; I liked those videos. Later, I watched NCAA, but NBA was always my main interest. This year, playing around, various coaches, including mine and others, told me my playing style is more American.
Why did you choose Cal Baptist? You didn’t visit, right?
No, I didn’t visit because I didn’t have time, but I did many video calls. I talked a lot with various coaches and even with a teammate from this year. It wasn’t the first choice that contacted me, but with my agent’s help, I waited to see who was really interested. We gradually eliminated options we didn’t like, and Cal Baptist remained. It seemed the best choice. They have a spectacular facility and showed great interest in me. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it seemed the most interesting.
What was the decisive factor that convinced you to go there?
How they see my game. In Italy, I have always played inside, but I want to prove I can play outside. I never had the chance; I want to do it this year. The conversations with them focused on their facilities, their program, and they really showed a lot of interest.
What kind of coach is Rick Croy, and have you talked about goals for the next season?
The coach seemed confident and good. My English is okay, but they speak very fast. He made an effort so I could understand better. He seemed nice, but we haven’t talked precisely about the next season yet. He told me the team will be big and physical, but once I get there, I’ll know much better.
When do you leave, and what will you study?
I leave August 20, and I chose nutrition for my degree. It’s something that interests me and that I do for myself.
Let’s talk about NIL (Name, Image, Likeness): universities now have the opportunity to pay players directly. Did you discuss it during recruitment?
The NIL situation is very interesting as explained to me. Universities should now pay us directly, but I don’t know much yet. I confirm these are amounts in Europe we can’t even imagine…
What do you expect from this first year?
It’s hard to imagine starting in November and immediately finding 20 minutes of playing time. The team is good, the conference too. I will work hard, try to find my space; nothing is guaranteed. I want to help the team, as I’ve always done, giving my best even in the hardest situation.
In the long term, what kind of player do you want to be, and how do you want to change your game in America?
I want to gain confidence. You always hear voices about you; it’s not scary but I want to be more courageous and respectful of myself. I want to become more reliable offensively. The coach told me that as soon as I arrive in America, I have to work on my shooting because he sees growth potential.
The season schedule is interesting: Illinois, BYU with AJ Dybantsa, Colorado. What game are you most looking forward to?
The first game is against USC Upstate, also from California, then UC Irvine. Then we play Illinois at home, which has many Europeans. There’s the derby with Leonardo Van Elswyck at Colorado, but I can’t wait to guard AJ Dybantsa. We also play Sacramento State: Shaquille O’Neal and Mikey Williams will be there. In the conference, there’s Utah Valley, a pretty good university, and Grand Canyon, usually the winning team. We finished third last season; the goal in four years is at least a run at March Madness.
Regarding the Under-20 European Championship: you were in the group during training camp but a knee injury stopped you. How was it to see them win?
It was really beautiful, especially because I know that group; it’s one of the best I’ve ever been in. We are many close. Seeing Francesco Ferrari—my roommate from the first camp in 2018—raise the trophy was a joy. They called me right after the final, just before the award ceremony. Seeing Osasuyi, another Borgomanero teammate, win this title was great. I’m very proud of him; he had an emotional journey and is amazing. His European Championship was great, and now he’s also coming to America…
Did you feel the winning atmosphere already during the camp?
No one expected to win. The goal was to get into the top eight. I got injured in the knee and was out until a few days ago, so I couldn’t be in the final roster, but I had the uniform and everything. My teammates immediately sent me encouraging messages after the injury, and we kept in touch after every game at the hotel. When we reached the quarterfinals, we were all very happy to have reached the goal. From there, we got pumped and said let’s go all the way. It was even more special because it was unexpected. Even Gigi Datome wrote to me when he heard about the injury. He knew how much I wanted to be there, and it was nice to be part of that group. They made sure I lived the victory’s emotion even from afar.
Last question: Flash forward, you’re in your last year in the NCAA. We’ll talk again in another interview. Are you happy if this happens?
Definitely participating in March Madness, even just participating would be a great joy for me.
