Pietro Aradori

Pietro Aradori
No. 4 – Fortitudo Bologna
PositionShooting guard / small forward
LeagueLBA
Personal information
Born (1988-12-09) 9 December 1988 (age 35)
Brescia, Italy
NationalityItalian
Listed height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Listed weight100 kg (220 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2010: undrafted
Playing career2005–present
Career history
2005–2006Casalpusterlengo
2006–2007Andrea Costa Imola
2007–2008Olimpia Milano
2008Virtus Roma
2008–2010Biella
2010–2012Montepaschi Siena
2012–2014Cantù
2014Galatasaray
2014–2015Estudiantes
2015Reyer Venezia
2015–2017Reggiana
2017–2019Virtus Bologna
2019–presentFortitudo Bologna
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Italy
European U-20 Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Italy

Pietro Aradori (born 9 December 1988) is an Italian professional basketball player for Fortitudo Bologna of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). Standing at 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in), he plays at the shooting guard and small forward positions.

Professional career

The Brescia native played for the youth side of U.C. Casalpusterlengo from 2003, he was a teammate of Danilo Gallinari there. He debuted in the third division during the 2005–06 season. The next year he joined Andrea Costa Imola, of the second division. He averaged 12.8 points (team-best), 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 30 games for a side fighting relegation.[1][2]

In June 2007, Aradori signed a three-year contract with Armani Jeans Milano.[1] He made his Serie A (first division) debut that season, also playing in Europe's best competition, the EuroLeague. Though he played regularly for the side, he did not manage to establish himself and finished the season with Lottomatica Roma, who he reached the 2008 Serie A finals with.[3]

Aradori then moved to Pallacanestro Biella, he also struggled with form there before a March performance against Montegranaro, contributing 23 points on 7-for-8 three-point shooting, restored his confidence. He then became one of the main protagonists of Biella's Serie A semifinals run, their best ever finish.[4] For his part in that success, he was awarded the Premio Reverberi (in Italian), an award given by a number of organisation, as the Best Italian player of 2008–09.[5] The next year, he had an excellent season in both the European second tier Eurocup and the league. In the latter, he posted 16.8 points (3rd best in Serie A), 5 rebounds and 2.1 steals,[6] earning the Best Player Under 22 award.

A move to league champions Montepaschi Siena followed in July 2010.[6] In a team that won every domestic trophy (Serie A, Cup, Supercup) whilst also reaching the 2011 Euroleague Final Four Aradori took time to find his place, playing limited minutes. The situation was repeating itself the next year (with Aradori a subsistute as Siena again won the Supercup and Cup) but an injury to starter Rimantas Kaukėnas gave him more playing time. Aradori grabbed his chance, with good performances against Barcelona (11 points in the last six minutes to earn a win) and even more so against Asseco Prokom (23 points - missing only 2 shots - 7 rebounds, 3 steals for 1 turnover, all career bests, for a performance index rating of 33), the second earning him Euroleague Week 10 MVP honours.[3][7]

Despite this, he remained a substitute at Siena, moving to rival Serie A side Pallacanestro Cantù in July 2012 on a two-year deal.[8] There he became a starter, helping Cantù progress from the qualifying rounds to the 2012–13 Euroleague group stage where he averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 30 minutes for a PIR of 15.4. In 2013–14, Aradori contributed 13.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in the Eurocup, including a Week 1 MVP's 28 points and 6 rebounds against Artland Dragons,[9] as Cantù reached the last 32.[10]

At the expiry of his contract, amidst offers from Italian sides, Aradori moved to the Turkish Basketball League with Galatasaray Liv Hospital, declaredly in order to play at a more competitive level (in both the league and the Euroleague).[10][11] The Italian averaged 7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2 assists in around 21 minutes in the Euroleague, with personal (and game) highs of 20 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists against Valencia in November,[12] in the league he had 6.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 20 minutes.[13]

However, unhappy with his playing time and above all salary arrears, Aradori left Galatasaray in December, signing with Spanish side Estudiantes.[14][15] He posted averages of 13.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2 assists in the competitive Liga ACB,[16] becoming a fan-favourite at Estudiantes. In May 2015, with the side assured of safety, he returned to Italy with Reyer Venezia Mestre in order to play in the 2015 Serie A playoffs.[17]

On 16 July 2015 Aradori signed a two-year contract with Grissin Bon Reggio Emilia.[18]

On 14 July 2017 Aradori signed with Virtus Bologna for the 2017–18 season.[19]

International career

Aradori played for the under-age Italy squads, first with the Under-16's before playing in the 2006 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship where he posted 22.1 points, 6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1 steal per game.[2]

With the Under-18's, he won a bronze medal at the 2007 European Championship, contributing 11 points in the third place game.[20] He also participated in the 2008 edition.

After playing in the 2009 Mediterranean Games with the Italy B squad, scoring 29 points in the semifinal and 21 in the bronze medal game (both defeats), he was called up with the senior Italian national team that was preparing for FIBA EuroBasket 2009 qualification,[21] though he did not play.

He stayed in the national fold from then on, he had a marginal participation in FIBA EuroBasket 2011 qualification but was cut from the squad for the tournament proper due to Italy's overabundance of players in his position.[22]

Aradori became a regular for Italy in 2012,[23] contributing 12.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in around 22 minutes per game as the side qualified for EuroBasket 2013.[24] He was in good form at the tournament, averaging 11.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.[25]

He was called up to the squad that would take part in EuroBasket 2015 to start on 5 September.[26]

Honours and titles

Individual

Team

Youth

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high

Euroleague

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2007–08 AJ Milano 11 3 13.7 .366 .077 .833 1.4 .5 .4 .0 3.3 1.1
2010–11 Montepaschi Siena 14 1 10.8 .435 .500 .760 1.6 .7 .4 .0 4.9 5.1
2011–12 17 1 10.4 .455 .313 .813 2.0 .6 .1 .1 4.8 5.5
2012–13 Mapooro Cantù 8 7 30.0 .513 .565 .781 4.0 1.5 .1 .0 15.0 15.4
2014–15 Galatasaray 8 3 21.2 .472 .400 .800 2.9 2.0 .8 .0 7.0 10.5
Career 58 15 15.3 .457 .400 .791 2.2 .9 0.3 .0 6.2 6.6

References

  1. ^ a b "Milano lands promising Aradori". Euroleague. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b Hein, David (3 May 2007). "Progress report on the top 2006 U18 players". FIBA Europe. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Top 16 profiles, Pietro Aradori". Euroleague. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Pietro Aradori, Lauretana Biella". Eurocup Basketball. 4 December 2009. Archived from the original on July 17, 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Assegnati gli Oscar del basket 2009" [The 2009 basketball Oscar's are awarded]. Lega Basket Serie A (in Italian). 11 June 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Montepaschi lands Pietro Aradori". Euroleague. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Week 10 bwin MVP: Pietro Aradori, Montepaschi Siena". Euroleague. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Aradori joins Cantu backcourt". Euroleague. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Regular Season Week 1 MVP: Pietro Aradori, FoxTown Cantu". Eurocup Basketball. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Galatasaray brings in scoring ace Aradori". Euroleague. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  11. ^ Apicella, Nicola (25 September 2014). "Basket, Aradori e la sfida turca: Al Galatasaray per crescere ancora" [Basketball, Aradori and the Turkish challenge: "At Galatasaray to grow further"]. la Repubblica (in Italian). Rome. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  12. ^ "2014-15 Regular Season Round 7: Valencia Basket - Galatasaray Liv Hospital Istanbul (Report)". Euroleague. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  13. ^ "Pietro Aradori". TBLStat.net. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  14. ^ "Basket: Aradori lascia il Galatasaray ma non vuole tornare in Italia (per adesso)" [Basketball: Aradori leaves Galatasaray but does not want to return to Italy (for now)]. La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Milan. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  15. ^ "Pietro Aradori, fichaje estrella del Movistar Estudiantes" [Pietro Aradori, star signing of Movistar Estudiantes]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 18 December 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  16. ^ "Historial estadístico: Aradori, Pietro" [Statistical history:Aradori, Pietro]. Liga ACB (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  17. ^ García, Guillermo (11 May 2015). "'El Perro' Aradori se despide de 'su' Estudiantes: "Gracias a todos, ha sido un honor jugar aquí"" ["The Dog" Aradori leaves "his" Estudiantes: Thanks everyone, it was an honour playing here]. Marca (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  18. ^ "Firmato Pietro Aradori. Domani il saluto alla città nella cornice di Piazza San Prospero" [Pietro Aradori has signed. Tomorrow the greetings with the crowd on the ledge of the Piazza San Prospero]. Pallacanestro Reggiana (in Italian). 16 July 2015. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  19. ^ "Virtus Segafredo, primo grande colpo: arriva Pietro Aradori". virtus.it (in Italian). 14 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-08-03. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Italy clinch bronze, first medal since 1994". FIBA Europe. 15 July 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  21. ^ "Bulleri, Stonebrook pass on Italy". FIBA Europe. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  22. ^ "ITA - It's a 'lottery' for Pianigiani". FIBA. Rome. 29 June 2011. Archived from the original on August 9, 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  23. ^ "Pietro Aradori". Federazione Italiana Pallacanestro (in Italian). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  24. ^ "Pietro Aradori (Italy)". FIBA Europe. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  25. ^ "Italy #4 - Pietro Aradori". FIBA. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  26. ^ "Italy take their dream roster to Berlin". FIBAEurope.com. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  27. ^ "Bologna dazzle on way to 2019 Basketball Champions League crown". Basketball Champions League. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2020.