INTERVIEWING:
MARCO DE BENEDETTO
- Interviews
- 14 November 2024
For the latest episode of Inside Magazine, we had the privilege of sitting down with Marco De Benedetto, currently a scout and consultant for the Italian team Germani Brescia. Marco’s career in the basketball industry has been rich and varied, spanning roles from team manager to general manager, but scouting has always been his true passion. Recognized as one of the most respected professionals in the field, he even earned the title of Executive of the Year while serving as Brescia’s GM. His achievements include an Italian Cup victory during his tenure with the team in Turin.
In our conversation, Marco shared insights into his experiences recruiting college basketball players from the U.S. to Europe, as well as his take on the increasing challenges in the European basketball market. He offered a thoughtful critique on what could be improved in the Italian basketball system and so much more.
Let’s dive into this in-depth discussion with one of the industry’s most knowledgeable voices.
Q: “Based on your experience, Marco, when you deal with a player who’s coming directly from college, what are the main difficulties that he faces in making that transition? And from your perspective, what are the main issues and obstacles that you face when you try to recruit a player from college basketball?”
Marco De Benedetto: “Well, it’s a question that could have very different answers. Basketball is like a big bag with so many features inside. There are so many differences between the US and Europe, and I’m not talking only about basketball, I’m talking about cultural differences, a different lifestyle. But NCAA and European basketball have similarities too. NCAA is also a really big environment with different levels, bigger teams, smaller teams, and Europe has similar characteristics; you have bigger and more competitive leagues, and you have smaller and less competitive leagues. Not all the clubs in Europe pay enough attention to the way American players can adapt to life overseas. Before they step on the court, a player has to be provided with a lot of things: accommodation, logistics, car, and Wi-Fi. I know that some of these aspects might sound silly, but they are extremely important. When I started to do this job 15 years ago, all the players were asking for satellite TV, now nobody cares about that, but there are still clubs that put satellite in their written contracts or that they provide TV sets—who cares about these things anymore? You have to be sure that the day that the player arrives in his apartment, his Wi-Fi is already working, that’s something essential to all these guys coming over to Europe for the first time. This is just an example of the adaptation process that they need to go through. Different food, different culture, and a different weekly schedule sometimes can be very different from the one they had in the US. Then, of course, there are differences on the court. Even though the game is global now, I believe that the differences between the US youth system and the European professional environment are huge nowadays because of the way that the AAU has worked over the last few years. Preparing the young kids for their time in the NCAA was not enough to prepare them for the differences that they were going to find here in Europe. The tactics, the X’s and O’s, even the rules, represent a big change for them. So we need to give these young players a complete picture of what they’re going to face here in Europe so that it can become a tool to be successful.”
Q: “Since you mentioned the AAU system, what’s your opinion on the youth system in the US? Because, especially in recent years, there’ve been many voices critical of the current AAU system because its focus is too much on the individual and not enough on teamwork. Many consider the AAU system unable to prepare young players in the proper way for college basketball. Do you believe that the US should start thinking about a change in that perspective?”
Marco De Benedetto: “Well, trying to eliminate the big sneaker brands that have a huge role in the AAU system is pretty much impossible. But I believe that the big brands that push the AAU system can modify their approach, trying to give more quality to the entire operation, reducing the useless games, and giving a different type of value to the practice sessions, especially the team practice. They don’t have enough teamwork; they need to do more 5-on-5 practices because otherwise, they lose a lot of details which are essential, especially when these kids growing up will play overseas. When you look at the amount of players who grow up in that system, you need to understand that the majority of them need to prepare for playing overseas and not in the NBA or the G League, because only a fraction of them will be able to play at that level. Around 70% of players coming out of college end up playing overseas, so knowing more about where they’ll end up playing could give the overall product a better value.”
Q:”For the players who come from college basketball and make the jump to European basketball, it’s not a given that they’ll be able to perform right away; sometimes they need two or three seasons to really express their full potential. So, I wanted to ask you how much it’s important in your line of work to really follow the path of a player, from his college days to his first experiences overseas, to really evaluate when would be the best moment to sign him?”
Marco De Benedetto: “I think this is a very important point. For me, momentum is a key aspect; the timing is not the same for everybody because the process is a personal one and can change a lot based on the player. Every kid matures at a different age; there are late bloomers, who only reach their full potential after a few years of playing overseas, and there are other players who have already figured out their talent when they’re playing their freshman year in college. And this is one of the aspects that I really love about my job because I find satisfaction in it, following a player already in his college days and then continuing to watch his growth overseas. In my opinion, if you want to be a scout overseas, you have to focus on seniors and international players of college basketball, starting to take notes there, then following them in tournaments like the PIT. Still today, it’s a really important event to watch live some of the players you have scouted. I’ve been in Portsmouth and watched Jimmy Butler play, but you can also find the player that in three years is going to play in the smallest league possible. Summer League is another event that can be really useful in identifying talent, but I’m not talking only about the main event; especially if you’re scouting for a European team, collateral Summer League events can be extremely useful, there are a lot of workouts, tournaments. Then, of course, there’s the G League, because in the G League, you can find a lot of players that maybe are not ready to play in Europe right away but they might be in a year or two. So, following this path and then watching them in Europe for a year or two, in my opinion, you have kind of a complete picture of the player, and this is the best way to scout. Just to make an example, I’m thinking about C.J. Massinburg. When we decided to sign him in Brescia, he was coming from France, where he had a strong impact playing under coach Massimo Cancellieri. Before that experience, he played in the G League, I collected some info about his experience in the G League and watched some of his games there. Before the G League, CJ played with Buffalo University, so I tried to remember the way he was playing with Buffalo in college, I recovered some of the notes that I had about him in college. So, in this way, step by step, you have a complete picture of a player and you can really understand if he’s ready for the team that you’re working for.”
Q: “In your experience as a scout, which are the typical traits that you try to find in the players? Are there specific elements in which you put more focus when you scout a player?”
Marco De Benedetto: “The first thing that I try to focus on is how they move on the court. I want to see if they’re ready to have a physical impact on the game, and you know, this is an aspect that you can recognize almost immediately. I’m not saying that if you don’t have a certain kind of physical impact you cannot play, but, in my opinion, it gives me the opportunity to understand better at which level that particular player can play. I’m not saying you need to be necessarily an NBA-level kind of athlete, but they need to be ready to have some physical consistency, because, even at a mid-level in Europe, that’s the type of physicality that they’ll find. So, for me, footwork, the ability to resist contact, and the will to fight inside the paint are all extremely important aspects. Navigating through screens with some consistency—this is what I want to see. Then, and this is something that I’m focusing on more and more recently, I try to watch how they can adapt their game when they don’t have the ball in their hands, how they read the game. This is very important. When I started to learn this job, there was more focus on the position of the player, which role he was covering, and stuff like that. Nowadays, it’s different; the focus is more about what they can do on the court, not necessarily on their role. Even when you’re building a team and you’re looking at a player, now it’s more about, ‘give me the best two things he can do on the court and how he can adapt to our system,’ rather than, ‘tell me which role he plays.’”
Q:”Marco, in recent years we’ve been seeing a revolution inside college basketball. With the creation of the NIL deals, now players have the opportunity to earn big money while they’re playing in college. Even the European environment is struggling because of these changes, with many European clubs losing their best young talents who are attracted by the money and the infrastructures that NCAA schools can offer to them. How much of an impact do you think that these changes will have on the European basketball landscape moving forward?”
Marco De Benedetto: “If you think that even big clubs in Europe are struggling from this situation, just imagine what the smaller clubs are going through. I believe that everyone in Europe is really underestimating this situation; to me, these changes can potentially have the same impact that, at the beginning of the ‘90s, the Bosman Rule had on the football market. When you have a kid who can play basketball—I’m not talking necessarily about a potential five-star prospect, but a good kid who can play even at a mid-level—and his only solution in Europe, in whatever country, is to play in third, maybe second division if he’s lucky, it’s pretty easy to understand why there’s so much interest in playing college basketball. I think in a few years, players’ parents will not ask agents to find a team for the next season, but to find a USA school for their kids, because there’s no comparison when it comes to opportunity, infrastructure, money, and overall situation. Although we have some good academies in Europe, it’s not enough to fight against the NCAA.”
Q: “Marco, it’s becoming a hot topic in Europe that the NBA might decide to make a move into the European basketball landscape and invest. In your opinion, is this something that’s going to happen regardless of the moves that the European stakeholders might make in the next few years?”
Marco De Benedetto: “When the NBA decides to make a move, usually there’s nothing that you can do about it. They’re evaluating all the necessary steps before making a move, but I believe they’ll enter the European market too. They already did in Africa with the BAL, and even if, at the moment, there’s not a lot of attention on that league yet, I’m pretty sure that in a few years, it’s going to become a very important part of the global basketball market. The tradition in Europe is much stronger than on other continents, and that’s a big challenge for the NBA. But there’s something that’s indisputable: the product in Europe is not enough. Although you have a pretty good level of basketball, the commercial product is not enough to sustain the entire landscape, so something has to change.”
Q:”This is a question that I often ask the guests we’ve had so far: what would be the suggestion you would give to a player who’s about to make his first European experience after his days in college? Which tips would you give him to help build a solid career in Europe?”
Marco De Benedetto: “First, try to get as much information as you can about the country you’re going to. Talk to other players who’ve been in that country before and ask for their suggestions. Also, as soon as possible, try to watch some European games—not only EuroLeague level, but also domestic leagues. I think that’s something college kids should start doing as soon as possible because playing overseas could always be a strong option for them.”
Q: “Marco, one of the main issues in Italian basketball is that we have a good amount of talent among the youth, but when young players make the transition to the pro level, there are very few opportunities for them. They are often forced to play in lower categories, lacking the experience necessary to grow as players. In your opinion, what changes should the Italian basketball system implement to give young players more opportunities to play at a meaningful level?”
Marco De Benedetto: “For me, there are two elements we need to implement. First, we need a strong network of farm teams; we absolutely need a Team B for every team in the top league, just like other countries such as France and Germany have done. There has to be a free exchange of players between the top team and Team B, so players can move up and down this route without any major limitations. Then, we need some serious investments in infrastructure because we don’t have enough gyms—not even in schools. I was reading some stats the other day, and one figure shocked me: one out of three schools in Italy doesn’t have a proper gym. How can we build a solid youth system if we don’t even have gyms inside the schools? Club owners need to be more willing to invest in infrastructure and less focused on just the results of a single game.”