Italian-born professional basketball player Marco Belinelli joined the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA in July 2018. This would be the Spurs’ second assignment for the baller, as he had previously worked very successfully in the franchise for two years. His career with the National Basketball Association (NBA) dates back to 2007 when he went from the Golden State Warriors to 18th place. Among other highlights of his long NBA career, Belinelli won the 2014 NBA Championship, with the San Antonio Spurs being the first Italian to achieve this feat.
Marco Belinelli Biography, Age
Marco Stefano Belinelli was born on 25 March 1986 in San Giovanni in Persiceto, Italy. As a teenager, he started his professional basketball career in his home country, where he played in the Lega Basket Serie A as well as in the EuroLeague. From 2002 to 2003 he played for Virtus Bologna, then from 2003 to 2007, he played for Fortitudo Bologna. Belinelli reached the EuroLeague final in 2004 with Fortitudo Bologna but lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv. However, they won the title in the 2004-05 Lega Basket Serie A.
NBA Career
Belinelli was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft as the 18th overall draft selection. Interestingly, he had never been to the United States before the draft. The talented player showed an impressive performance in the 2007 NBA Summer League, scoring an average of 22.8 points per game in 4 appearances. However, in all 33 appearances of his rookie season (2007-08) he came off the bench and averaged 2.9 points per game in 7.3 minutes. In the 2008-09 regular NBA season Belinelli played 42 games, including 23 starts, averaging 8.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 21.0 minutes per game.
Belinelli was transferred to the Toronto Raptors in July 2009 in exchange for Devean George. His one-year stint with the Raptors was rather uneventful and he was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in August 2010 in exchange for Julian Wright. The NBA star had a starring role during his two-year engagement with the Hornets. In his first season (2010/11) he had 80 appearances, including 69 starts, an average of 10.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. In the 2011/12 season, his productivity increased to 11.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
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The talented NBA star joined the Chicago Bulls in July 2012. He played one season with the Bulls before joining the San Antonio Spurs in July 2013. In his historic first season with the Spurs, Belinelli helped the team win the 2014 NBA Finals, becoming the first Italian player to win the coveted championship.
Beginning in July 2015, Marco Belinelli played one season each with the Sacramento Kings and the Charlotte Hornets. In June 2017 he was transferred to the Atlanta Hawks in a multiplayer deal. Before the end of the 2017-18 season, he signed a buyout deal with the Hawks and was signed by the Philadelphia 76ers in February 2018. For the rest of the season, he made 28 appearances with the 76ers, recording a career-high of 13.6 points per game.
In July 2018 Belinelli signed with the San Antonio Spurs, marking the beginning of his second term in the franchise.
Marco Belinelli International Career
On the international front, Marco Belinelli represents the Italian national basketball team. He was part of the country’s squad at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 FIBA European Championships.
Family, Wife
Marco Belinelli was born as the son of Iole Maccaferri and Daniele Belinelli in the small town of San Giovanni in Persiceto, in the province of Bologna, Italy. He grew up at the side of the two older brothers Umberto and Enrico.
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Although Belinelli has enjoyed much of the limelight since joining the NBA in 2007, he has always kept his relationships secret. It is known that he is currently unmarried, but it is unclear if he is currently dating anyone. This does not mean, however, that he has not been actively engaged in the search for a partner. He used to date a brunette named Martina, with whom he had a relationship from time to time, but at the moment the fate of this romance is still uncertain.
Height, Weight
In a profession in which good height is of the utmost importance, Marco Belinelli has not left much to be desired. He is 196 cm (6 feet 5 inches) tall and has a body weight of 95 kg (210 lb). The veteran sniper/small striker is characterized by his enormous offensive ability, especially as a perimeter shooter.
