Eight years ago, Giovanni Emejuru was not even playing basketball. Today, at 23, he is part of the Italian national team and is preparing to face two of the NBA’s most prominent centers within just a few days: Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic.
In an interview with Beppe Nigro of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Emejuru discussed his journey, from starting basketball relatively late to his experiences in the United States and his decision to continue his career with BC Roma SPQR.
From starting basketball at 15 to the Italian national team
Emejuru started playing basketball relatively late, around the age of 15 or 16, after spending the first years of his life in San Severino Marche, where he was born to Nigerian parents.
“I started playing basketball quite late, around 15 or 16,” Emejuru explained. Kobe Bryant’s retirement also played a role in sparking his interest in the sport.
“He was retiring at the time and everyone was talking about him. I saw his name everywhere, so I started doing some research to understand who he was. I discovered the NBA and started watching videos of Russell Westbrook and other stars.”
A close friend who had just started playing for a local club eventually convinced him to step onto the court himself.
His college experience and development in the United States
Emejuru then built his college career in the United States, playing for Sam Houston State, Siena, George Mason and East Carolina.
The Italian center considers his NCAA experience fundamental to his development.
“I would absolutely recommend the college experience. It helped me tremendously, especially in the current environment with the new opportunities connected to NIL.”
According to Emejuru, his game improved significantly in the United States, although he believes the experience depends greatly on the level of the university and the team a player joins.
How Emejuru reached the Italian national team
Playing for the national team had always been one of Emejuru’s goals. Riccardo Fois played an important role in making that opportunity possible after contacting him during the Next Generation Tournament.
“He helped me a lot in finding the right college, speaking with different schools on my behalf. We always stayed in touch.”
In 2023, Emejuru joined the Green Team training camp, an experience he described as fantastic. After returning to the Italian national team during the latest qualifying windows, he is now part of the senior squad.
Returning to the Marche region with Italy
The upcoming game in Pesaro will be particularly meaningful for Emejuru, who was born in San Severino Marche and spent his early childhood there.
“Being here in Pesaro feels like a ‘full circle’: I started from these places and now I’m coming back as a player.”
The center also thanked Gianmarco Pozzecco, Edoardo Casalone and Gigi Datome for the trust they showed him over the years.
“They even came to America to have dinner with me and get to know me, making me feel truly wanted in this group.”
Emejuru came close to becoming Jokic’s teammate in Denver
One of the most intriguing parts of the interview concerns the possibility of becoming Nikola Jokic’s teammate with the Denver Nuggets after college.
“Yes, I could have become Jokic’s teammate!” Emejuru said.
After college, he worked out twice with Denver. His first workout went well and earned him a second audition before the Draft. He then played for the Nuggets in the Summer League, with the team offering him an Exhibit 10 contract.
Ultimately, however, Emejuru chose Roma.
“Both were great options on the table. The NBA opportunity was tempting, but I was particularly fascinated by the Roma project and chose to take that direction.”
“The NBA is a goal, but I don’t want it to become an obsession”
Emejuru has made no secret of his ambition to eventually reach the NBA, but he does not want the dream to become a source of pressure.
“After the workouts and the Summer League, I realized that the gap is small, but at the same time there is still room to improve.”
“The NBA is still a goal of mine, but I don’t want it to become an obsession of ‘NBA or nothing.’ I’m already playing at a very high level, between the Italian league and European competitions, so the important thing is to keep improving every year.”
Developing as a power forward and building chemistry with Nico Mannion
Emejuru sees himself eventually developing into a power forward.
“Looking ahead, I would like to develop into a power forward. Here with the national team, I know my role well: I’m available to do whatever is necessary to win, qualify for the World Cup and aim for the Olympics.”
He also wants to improve his perimeter skills, outside shooting, passing and reading of the game to become a more complete player.
At Roma, he will also reunite with Nico Mannion, with whom he has already developed strong chemistry with the national team.
“Nico and I have great chemistry. In the last window, he was often looking for me with his passes, and I’m learning to understand where he wants me to set screens and which areas of the court he prefers me to be in.”
Emejuru excited about the new BC Roma SPQR project
Emejuru also expressed his excitement about starting a new chapter in the Italian capital.
“I’m really excited about this new adventure in Rome. It’s a great opportunity to be part of this project from the beginning and I can’t wait to take on this challenge.”
Meanwhile, the national team represents another important opportunity for his development. The coaching staff led by Luca Banchi, alongside Marco Ramondino, Adriano Vertemati, Ricky Fois, Iacopo Squarcina and Adam Filippi, is helping him improve his understanding of the game and attention to detail.
“My main goal on the court is to bring physicality, presence in the paint, on the glass and around the basket, but above all to be a great teammate and do whatever is necessary to win.”
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