Daniel Hackett: Is this my last season? I’ve thought about it; you have to be honest and recognize your limits

Daniel Hackett speaks with *La Gazzetta dello Sport* on the opening day of Virtus Bologna’s EuroLeague season.

On the captaincy

“It’s an honorary title, but also a significant responsibility toward this team. Virtus has had charismatic captains who’ve won many titles; before it’s too late, I’d like to end my time here by lifting a trophy—perhaps the Coppa Italia that President Zanetti so desperately wants.”

On the New Virtus

“We’ve changed a great deal. We no longer have those iconic players who, over the years, brought back a winning culture to this club—a culture that had been somewhat lost before Zanetti took over. Now this culture must be passed on to the new players who will carry the club forward in the future.”

On the possibility that this could be his last season

“I’ve thought about it and discussed it with General Manager Ronci when we renewed my contract. The club still believes I can contribute; I’m not backing down, but you have to be honest with yourself and recognize your limits. We’ll see how the season goes—I’m open to anything and focused solely on Virtus.”

On what would make him happy

“If we prove we can hold our own against EuroLeague teams with soccer-sized budgets, if we’re competitive, and—as the icing on the cake—if I can lift a trophy as captain to cap off a winning season.”