Luigi Datome facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Luigi Datome

Datome playing for Olimpia Milano in 2021.
Personal information
Born	(1987-11-27) 27 November 1987 (age 37) Montebelluna, Italy
Listed height	2.03 m (6 ft 7.92 in)
Listed weight	101 kg (223 lb)
Career information
NBA Draft	2009 / Undrafted
Pro career	2003–2023
Career history
2003–2007	Montepaschi Siena
2007–2008	Scafati
2008–2013	Virtus Roma
2013–2015	Detroit Pistons
2015	Boston Celtics
2015–2020	Fenerbahçe
2020–2023	Olimpia Milano
Career highlights and awards
2× EuroLeague 50–40–90 club (2018, 2019) EuroLeague champion (2017) All-EuroLeague Second Team (2016) 3× LBA champion (2004, 2022, 2023) LBA MVP (2013) LBA Finals MVP (2023) All-LBA First Team (2013) LBA Best Player Under-22 (2009) LBA All-Star (2011) 2× Italian Cup winner (2021, 2022) Italian Cup MVP (2021) 3× TBSL champion (2016–2018) TBSL Finals MVP (2016) 3× Turkish Cup winner (2016, 2019, 2020) 2× Turkish Cup Final MVP (2019, 2020) 2× Turkish Super Cup winner (2016, 2017) Turkish Super Cup MVP (2017) TBSL All-Star (2018)
Career NBA statistics
Points	188 (3.4 ppg)
Rebounds	75 (1.4 rpg)
Assists	20 (0.4 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Italy European U-20 Championship Bronze 2007 Italy European U-18 Championship Bronze 2005 Serbia and Montenegro

Luigi Datome, also known as "Gigi", is a retired professional basketball player from Italy. He was born on November 27, 1987. Standing at 2.03 meters (about 6 feet 8 inches) tall, he was a versatile player who could play both the small forward and power forward positions.

Datome had a long and successful career, playing in top leagues in Italy, Turkey, and even the NBA in the United States. One of his biggest honors was being named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team in 2016, which recognizes the best players in Europe's top basketball competition.

A Basketball Journey Across the World

Starting Out in Italy

Luigi Datome was born in Montebelluna, but he grew up in Olbia, a city on the island of Sardinia. This is where he first started playing basketball as a kid. His talent was clear early on, and in 2003, he joined a professional team called Montepaschi Siena. This team played in Italy's best league, the Serie A.

After a few years with Siena, he moved to another Italian team, Scafati Basket, in 2007. The next year, he signed with Virtus Roma. Playing in Rome, Datome really began to shine. In the 2008-2009 season, he won an award for being the best player under 22 years old. By the 2012-2013 season, he was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP), averaging an impressive 16.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Playing in the NBA

Datome's success in Italy caught the attention of teams in the NBA, the top basketball league in the world.

Detroit Pistons

On July 16, 2013, he signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Pistons. Playing in the NBA was a new challenge. On December 23, 2013, he had a great game, scoring a season-high 13 points to help his team beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. For a short time in 2015, he also played for the Grand Rapids Drive, a team in the NBA's development league, to get more playing time.

Boston Celtics

On February 19, 2015, Datome was traded to the famous Boston Celtics. He finished the season with them and had a memorable final game. In his first-ever start in an NBA game, he scored a career-high 22 points, leading the Celtics to a win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Success in Turkey with Fenerbahçe

After his time in the NBA, Datome returned to Europe. On July 14, 2015, he signed with Fenerbahçe, a major team in Turkey. This period became one of the most successful of his career.

In his first season, he helped Fenerbahçe win the Turkish Cup. The team also made it to the championship game of the EuroLeague Final Four, Europe's biggest club tournament. They narrowly lost to CSKA Moscow in a thrilling overtime game.

The next year, in 2017, Datome and Fenerbahçe won the EuroLeague championship, the highest honor in European club basketball. He continued to be a key player for the team, helping them reach the Final Four for four straight years. He signed new contracts to stay with the team until 2020.

Datome was honored at a retirement ceremony in 2023 during a game between his former teams, Fenerbahçe and Olimpia Milan.

Returning to Italy and Retirement

On June 30, 2020, Datome returned to his home country to play for Olimpia Milano. He helped his new team win several titles, including the Italian league championship in 2022 and 2023.

On July 7, 2023, Datome announced that he would retire from professional basketball after playing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. In October 2023, in recognition of his great career, Olimpia Milano honored him by adding him to its Hall of Fame.

Playing for the Italian National Team

Datome was very proud to play for his country. He was a key member of the Italian national team for many years. He played in several major international tournaments, including the EuroBasket (Europe's championship for national teams) in 2007, 2011, 2013, and 2017.

He also represented Italy in qualifying tournaments for the Olympic Games. His very last game as a professional player was for Italy in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. In that final game against Slovenia, he scored one point before officially ending his amazing career.

See also

In Spanish: Luigi Datome para niños

• List of youngest EuroLeague players