For the first time in his international career, Marco Spissu will step onto the court without one of his closest friends wearing the Italian national team jersey beside him.
Achille Polonara, his longtime teammate both on the national squad and at Dinamo Sassari, is currently battling leukemia and will be absent from FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Spissu has chosen to honor his friend in a heartfelt gesture. For the upcoming tournament, the Italian playmaker will don Polonara’s iconic #33 jersey for the first time in his career, temporarily setting aside his usual #0.
This symbolic act is a tribute to their years of shared experiences on and off the court and a sign of solidarity with a teammate facing a personal battle.
Meanwhile, Italy is preparing to finalize its 12-man roster for EuroBasket 2025. Head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco and his staff are set to make the last roster cut soon, officially determining the squad that will compete in the tournament without Polonara.
Marco Spissu is the best friend everybody would love to have 💙
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 21, 2025
He will wear Achille Polonara's #33 at FIBA #EuroBasket 2025:https://t.co/p2bSxuyKR3
