Danilo Gallinari bids fellow Italy great Giorgio Chiellini adieu from football: "One of the greatest defenders ever"

Danilo Gallinari is one of the many international players in the NBA today. The veteran forward recently took to social media to give high praise to a fellow Italian athlete.

On Tuesday morning, Giorgio Chiellini announced his retirement from soccer. His career spanned over two decades, with him playing for professional clubs and the Italian national team. His most recent stint came in the MLS last year, when he appeared in 31 matches for Los Angeles FC.

Among the many people to show praise to Giorgio Chiellini was Danilo Gallinari. He took to social media to wish him luck going forward and calling him a role model for all athletes in Italy.

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One of Chiellini's biggest accomplishments came in 2004 when he helped Italy secure a bronze medal in the Summer Olympics. He played center back his enitre career and, as Gallinari mentioned, is regarded as one of the top defenders of his time.

Is Danilo Gallinari the only Italian player in the NBA?

Over the past decade, the NBA has become a global game. A majority of the league's top stars hail from somewhere other than the United States. While Danilo Gallinari did not play soccer, he still looked to Giorgio Chiellini for inspiration.

With his career spanning over two decades, Chiellini was likely an influence on many Italian athletes. Aside from professional soccer, there are a handful of basketball playes who are also from Italy.

The most notable Italian athlete in the NBA today is Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero. He is in the middle of his second season, where he is averaging 20.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Banchero was part of a controversy over the summer because he opted to play for Team USA instead of Italy in the FIBA World Cup.

Born in Pascara, Italy, Simone Fontecchio managed to work his way to the NBA. The undrafted rookie currently plays for the Utah Jazz. He's appeared in 21 games this season and is averaging 7.8 points while shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc.

Besides these two younger talents, Gallinari is by far the most known Italian player in the league. Over the past 13 years, he's suited up for six different franchises. The former lottery pick is currently a member of the Washington Wizards.

The 35-year-old has suited up in 20 games for the struggling Wizards team this season. In that span, Gallinari is posting averages of 7.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists.