Emma Giacchetti has been putting the basketball world on notice for a while now thanks to her play for Magnolia La Molisana Campobasso, currently the third-place team in Serie A1, the top women’s pro basketball league in Italy, and the Italian national team.
The 5-foot-10 19-year-old is versatile, capable of playing point guard, shooting guard or small forward, dependent on the situation on the court. Three years ago, at the FIBA U16 European Championship, she helped Italy win bronze and was named
the best point guard of the tournament.
Recently, she took time to talk to Swish Appeal about her experiences, ambitions and more.
You debuted in Serie A1 when you were just 15. Were you nervous, scared, excited? A mixture of the three?
When I was a child, playing in Serie A was my big dream. I watched the great Italian champions of the past play, and I dreamed of emulating them. Imagine my surprise and excitement when I made my Serie A1 debut at a very young age! I actually remember it was very unexpected, because I was only there because one of the more experienced players was injured and I wasn’t supposed to be on the court.
Suddenly, the coach called my name, and I felt very excited and nervous, but definitely not scared because deep down I couldn’t wait to play at that level. I remember it wasn’t an easy game for my team, but my coach sent me on the court at one of the crucial moments. I was truly proud!
The significance of you wearing number 4. Is there any?
Well, the national team is involved here. Another of my biggest dreams as a child was to play for the Italian national team. Imagine my happiness when they started calling me up for the youth national teams! Before then, I always wore the number 10, which I preferred. Then, in my first game with the youth national team, they gave me the number 4.
Since then, I’ve never changed my number, always playing only with the number 4. This number has become a part of my heart, and I’ll never let it go. Of course, 10 is still my second favorite number: maybe sooner or later I’ll get a nice tattoo with both numbers, like…104!
Tell us more about your youth career. Let’s start on the national circuit. Four youth national titles, three selections to the All-Star Five. What do you think allowed you to become so good at such a young age?
My experience with the youth club team, with which we won four wonderful and unforgettable titles, with extraordinary teammates and truly talented coaches, represents a wonderful period in my youth career. I will never forget it and it helped me grow immensely, both as a woman and as a player. It was a great team effort, shared by people who will always remain in my heart and whom I will always thank. An emotional journey!
As for the All-Star Five, these were recognitions that made me so happy and proud of the sacrifices and work I’ve made over the years. But I always want to share them with my teammates and my coaches from the various youth national teams, because if I’ve achieved them, I know perfectly well that I owe them to them as well, beyond my personal commitment.
You won bronze at the FIBA U16 Women’s EuroNasket with Italy. And that’s impressive on its own, but your stats—9.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists—earned you the award for the best point guard of the tournament.
Winning the bronze medal with the national team was another wonderful, unexpected experience, because no one thought we’d make it. There was a lot of skepticism surrounding our team at the beginning. Instead, we worked hard and grew individually and as a team during the tournament. We found confidence and self-awareness together, and this allowed us to achieve this fantastic result.
You’re just 19 years old, yet you’re very focused on basketball. To the point that it’s probably your only hobby. Where does that singular focus come from and aren’t you afraid that you’re missing out on youth by spending so much time in the gym?
Basketball has always been my dream, my greatest pleasure. Playing and training have never been a burden; in fact, I’ve always enjoyed it. So, it’s never been a burden. That’s why I’m not afraid of taking time away from my youth; on the contrary, I think life would be very boring without basketball!
Tell me more about Emma the person. What do you like to do in your free time?
I like listening to Italian music, indie or pop, and singers like Gio Evan and Olly, but I also like Spanish music, like Bad Bunny’s reggaeton. I have many other interests, but none as great as basketball! When I’m not playing, I especially enjoy hanging out with friends in my free time, and also, when I get home with my family, taking a walk by the sea with my dog. I enjoy watching suspenseful detective series like “Lupin” or “You,” and Italian comedies like “I Cesaroni.”
The WNBA should come calling soon. Have you already been contacted by American coaches and how do you feel about a potential move to the United States?
Speaking of dreams, the WNBA! I hope to play there one day; it would be another great dream come true. I work every day to improve myself, also for this reason. Some college coaches have shown interest in me, and I was very happy about that.
A special thank you to Alessandro Schilardi of Evolution Sport Management for arranging the interview.
