Andrea Cinciarini is the Cap. He’s been the Cap for five years and counting. He’s been in Milano for six. This is his team, his city. This is where he feels at home. This is the place where he came when he was in his prime. Now he’s a veteran, a elder statesman, he’s the guy the newcomers are looking to for tips andthe youngsters are looking for suggestions.
-What does it mean to be Olimpia’s Captain?
“It’s a matter of pride. This is my sixth year in Milano and Olimpia at this time is like home to me. I can remember my first day here and down all the emotions I experienced, good or bad. Being the Cap is something else, and I want to lead by example, during practices, during games, off the court. It’s important to keep everybody involved, players, fans, the whole club. I’m trying to be an important part of this team. It’s necessary to talk, to help the guys that are not playing much or are experiencing some troubles. It’s a role that I enjoy, it’s my job.”
-You have been the Captain for different teams before.
“I’ve been the Captain in Montegranaro, where I stayed for three years, and then in Reggio Emilia, where also stayed three years. Now Milano. I have a full vision, basketball is my passion and love, so I’m interested in every aspect, I don’t focus only on myself. I care about the team, the environment, tha fans, the club. It’s automatic to give something more or different, trying to be a little bit of a leader, emotionally, in the cloker room. I’m there for everybody. Basketball is a team sport, and for me as a point-man placing the teammates above me is instictive. But more than that, I like to involve people.”
-You have been able to adjust over time. You’ve been a top player for some teams and a jack-of-all-trades in Milan. Is this your secret?
“I spent three intense and great years in Reggio Emilia, where I was a central player, where I have won for the first time and got the Eurochallenge MVP award. Then I came to Milano and had to adjust to begin the season from behind, adjust and finish with a more prominent role. Obviously, there’ve been wins that I felt a little more, thinks about the first Italy Cup, the first Italian league championship or the one that we won in 2018. That year, I didn’t play much through January, than Pianigiani decided to start me and from that point on we as a team and me as player we did some great things. In the last two years, I’ve handled the ball less, but that’s not going to be a problem for me. Whatever the Coach is asking, defense, getting a rebound, making a three every now and then, bring the ball up and involve people, that’s fine, I will be there.”
-Talk about your work ethic.
“It’s something I’ve always had, since my childhood years. To me work pays off, I have had a lot of great examples before me, Djordjevic when I was a kid in Pesaro, Kaukenas in Reggio Emilia, his extraordinary work ethic. In Milano, I had to face great players every day. I’ve won several things, I’ve played many years, but I’m not done. At 34 I feel like I can still improve. Over the last few year, I improved my three-point shot, and I feel I can add something else. I learned from great players and now I want to pass this concept to the younger ones, like Davide Moretti, push him to go to the gym, to work more every time.”
-You are at the top of many statistical categories, especially assists. What does that mean for you personally?
“Pride again, it pays me off for all the work that I put up and people cannot see. The work accumulated in the summer, when I never stop for more than two or three days at a time. When I go on vacation, I’m always looking for places with a gym, to keep working. And there’s the extra work to be done when you don’t play, after a game or during a day off. The stats are paying me off for the work that I do. And I do it willingly. When I won’t feel like working, that will be the right day to end my career. But at this time, I’m still motivated, I feel better than when I was 25 or 26. Now I know my body better and take care of the great opportunities that we have here, to take care of the body, to recover properly.”
-What about the roar when you enter the court in regular times?
“It’s love, and I’m grateful to the fans for that, it’s something that was built overtime. In the beginning, there was some skepticism toward me, and there were reasons for that. Coming here, in such a prestigious club, along 13 or 14 players and being able to produce immediately was not easy. Not at all. Now the fans understand which player and person I am. They know what I stand for, I stand for winning and doing all the little things necessary like diving on the floor, steal a ball, executing a boxout. They don’t appear often in the boxscore, but they allow the team to change a game sometime.”
