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Background
PROFESSIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Was an early entry international candidate for the 2007 NBA Draft...Prior to getting drafted, played professionally for five seasons in Italy, spending first two seasons with Virtus Bologna before moving to Fortitudo Bologna in 2003-04...In 175 career games in Serie A (Italy’s top professional league), averaged 9.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.21 steals per contest, while shooting 53.3% (271-508 FG) from the field and 37.8% (280-740 3FG) from three-point range...In 76 Euroleague contests, averaged 7.9 points and 1.3 rebounds, while shooting 52.5% (115-219 FG) from the field and 37.9% (96-253 3FG) from long range...Is a member of the Italian National Team.
2006-07 HIGHLIGHTS WITH FORTITUDO BOLOGNA: In Serie A play, appeared in 33 games, averaging a career-high 16.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.2 steals, while shooting 54.4% (99-182 FG) from the field, 33.8% (76-225 3FG) from three-point range and 76.0% (98-129 FT) from the line...In 13 Euroleague contests, averaged 12.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
2005-06 HIGHLIGHTS WITH FORTITUDO BOLOGNA:Appeared in 47 Serie A contests, averaging 13.2 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 27.9 minutes per contest...Shot 49.9% (78-158 FG) from the field, 41.0% (132-332 3FG) from three point range and 78.2% (68-87 FT) from the line...In 19 Euroleague contests, averaged a personal Euroleague-best 13.2 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.42 steals in 27.7 minutes...Shot 53.0% (43-81 FG) from the field, a career-best 43.9% (47-107 3FG) from long range and 71.0% (27-38 FT) from the line.
2004-05 HIGHLIGHTS WITH FORTITUDO BOLOGNA: In 45 Serie A games, averaged 6.5 points, while shooting 54.8% (51-93 FG) from the field...Helped lead team to an Italian League title and the Italian Cup...Appeared in 20 Euroleague contests, averaging 4.2 points per game, while shooting 60.6% (20-33 FG) from the field.
2003-04 HIGHLIGHTS WITH VIRTUS BOLOGNA: Appeared in 34 Serie A games for Virtus, averaging 4.5 points, while shooting 64.6% (31-48 FG) from the field...Saw action in 16 Euroleague contests, averaging 3.0 points per game.
2002-03 HIGHLIGHTS WITH VIRTUS BOLOGNA: In first professional season, appeared in 16 Serie A games, averaging 2.6 points per contest...Appeared in eight Euroleague games, averaging 5.6 points.
NATIONAL TEAM HIGHLIGHTS: In six games with Italy at this past summer’s Eurobasket 2007 in Spain, averaged a team-leading 15.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists...Had his best game of Eurobasket 2007 in victory over Poland, netting 20 points...Represented Italy at the 2006 FIBA World Championships in Japan...Led team in scoring during World Championships, averaging 13.5 points in six games, including a team-high 25-point performance in a preliminary round loss against Team USA...At the 2004 Under-18 European Championships, averaged 16.4 points in the Final Round, 26.2 points in the Challenge Round and 17.6 points in the Qualifying Round...In the Qualifying Round for the 2004 U-20 European Championships, averaged 17.3 points.
Personal
Last name is pronounced belle-EE-NELLI...Attended the 2007 NBA Draft in New York, marking his first trip to the United States...Lists Kobe Bryant as his favorite NBA player.
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