 | |
| Free Agent | |
|---|---|
| Position | Guard |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1986-05-09)9 May 1986 (age 39) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Listed height | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Listed weight | 85 kg (187 lb) |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 2003–present |
| Career history | |
| 2003 | Virtus Bologna |
| 2003–2004 | Montepaschi Siena |
| 2004–2008 | Sutor Montegranaro |
| 2008–2009 | Olimpia Milano |
| 2009–2011 | Virtus Roma |
| 2011–2012 | Virtus Bologna |
| 2012–2013 | Vanoli Cremona |
| 2013–2014 | Reyer Venezia Mestre |
| 2014–2015 | Vanoli Cremona |
| 2015 | Herbalife Gran Canaria |
| 2015–2016 | Vanoli Cremona |
| 2016–2021 | Brescia Leonessa |
| 2022 | Napoli Basket |
| 2022–2025 | Pallacanestro Cantù |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Luca Vitali (born 9 May 1986) is an Italian professionalbasketball player who last played forPallacanestro Cantù of the ItalianSerie A2.
He's a versatile player who can play as apoint guard,shooting guard orsmall forward, defending on nearly any opponent thanks to his height and wingspan.[1]
Progressing through the youth ranks of home town clubVirtus Bologna he unusually made his debut for the team in Europe's premier competition, theEuroleague, playing a few minutes in 2003.
He would make hisfirst division debut the next year after moving toMontepaschi Siena, then the strongest side in Italy.
After playing little part in their championship winning season he dropped down a division to joinLegaDue clubSutor Montegranaro. This proved to be a fruitful move for both sides, he became a starter, helped promote the club to the first division in 2006 and then on to the playoffs, his good performances even led to a call up to the league All star game.
In 2008 he was recruited by ambitious clubArmani Jeans Milano with which he rediscovered theEuroleague, he was instrumental in the progress of Milano to theTop 16, scoring a team European record 32 points againstPanionios to finish third in their group.[2] However Vitali's time at Armani Jeans ended on a sour note when the club cancelled the last 2 years of his contract, he then joined rivalsLottomatica Roma.
After two years in Rome followed by a brief return to former youth sideVirtus Bologna he joinedVanoli Cremona.There he flourished, becoming an undisputed starter for the team and having career best figures in nearly all areas, helping his team escape relegation.[3]
Wanting to play for a stronger side he joined ambitiousUmana Venezia, there he had a mixed season, his talent obvious but his play not always consistent. This brought him to return to the club where he had the most personal success, Cremona, where he was appointed captain.[4]
On 18 May 2015, Vitali signed withHerbalife Gran Canaria until the end of the2014–15 ACB season.[5] In July 2015, he returned to Vanoli Cremona.[6]
On 2 April 2022, he has signed withPallacanestro Cantù of the ItalianSerie A2.[7]
Source:[8]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | PIR | Performance index rating |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | Virtus Bologna | 2 | 0 | 3.30 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | -1 |
| 2003–04 | Montepaschi Siena | 2 | 0 | 2.15 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1,5 | -1 |
| 2008–09 | AJ Milano | 13 | 8 | 24.19 | 44.8 | 44.4 | 91.4 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 10.9 | 8 |
| 2009–10 | Lottomatica Roma | 6 | 1 | 19.55 | 33.3 | 29.4 | 100.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 5.2 | 1 |
| 2010–11 | Lottomatica Roma | 10 | 0 | 19.08 | 38.9 | 40.0 | 63.6 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0 | 6 | 4.7 |
| Career | 33 | 9 | 13.65 | 23.4 | 42.32 | 51.0 | 0.94 | 0.98 | 0.34 | 0.04 | 4.72 | 2.34 |
After a period with the under-age Italian team, Vitali joined thesenior national team from 2007.
He was regularly called up from there on but remained a fringe player, part of Italy'sEuroBasket 2013 squad, he played sparingly. He started commanding more game time inEuroBasket 2015 qualification that saw Italy qualify for the tournament.[9]He was called up to the preliminary squad forEuroBasket 2015,[10] but was injured during the tournament preparation and had to leave the team before the main tournament.[11]
He comes from a basketball family as his brother is fellow playerMichele Vitali with whom he played one season forVirtus Bologna and presently for theItalian national basketball team, their parents were also players.[12]