Danilo Gallinari played competitive basketball Friday for the first time since he tore two lateral ligaments and sprained another in his right ankle that prematurely ended his NBA season last February.
The Italian national team, led by San Antonio Spurs assistant and legendary European coach Ettore Messina, is currently playing a number of exhibition contests leading up to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) which begins play July 4 against Tunisia. Greece and Croatia figure to be Italy’s strongest challenger in the OQT with the winner earning a spot at the Rio Olympics beginning August 5.