ARG – Montecchia calls it a day as a basketball player
BAHÍA BLANCA (CABB) - Former Argentina guard Alejandro Montecchia has announced his retirement from the game. The 37-year-old, who battled back from an Achilles tendon tear and resumed his career in South America in 2008, is to return home to the basketball city of Bahía Blanca in Argentina and begin writing a new chapter in his ...
BAHÍA BLANCA (CABB) - Former Argentina guard Alejandro Montecchia has announced his retirement from the game.
The 37-year-old, who battled back from an Achilles tendon tear and resumed his career in South America in 2008, is to return home to the basketball city of Bahía Blanca in Argentina and begin writing a new chapter in his life.
"It was about priorities,” Montecchia said.
“I could still play physically, but the main topic is the family, that my children have stability and the health of my father. I want to live in Bahia with my family."
The biggest moment in Alejandro Montecchia’s career came during the gold medal game against Italy at the 2004 Olympics in Spain.
He scored 17 points in 17 minutes of Argentina’s title-game triumph over Italy.
Looking back at that game, Montecchia’s biggest shot came early in the fourth quarter when the South Americans only led 61-59.
He pulled up and hit a three-pointer to spark a 12-1 run that the Azzurri never recovered from.
After that great showing, Montecchia received an unexpected call from San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, an assistant on the USA team that Argentina had beaten in the Semi-Finals.
Popovich already had one Argentina star from Bahía Blanca, Manu Ginobili, in San Antonio.
Montecchia decided to remain in Spain’s top flight, the ACB.
"The only thing that I didn't do was play in the NBA,” Montecchia said.
“It was never a goal but I was close. I was surprised after that call by coach Gregg Popovich in 2004.
“I couldn't believe it. Valencia asked me not to go and I stayed."
During Montecchia’s career, he also turned out for Sport Club, Olimpia and Boca Juniors while abroad he played in Italy for Reggio Calabria (1999-2002), Armani Jeans Milano (2005-2006) and in Spain with Pamesa (2002-2005).
Now that he’s no longer going to play basketball, there’s a good chance Montecchia will spend a lot of time by the water with a fishing rod in his hands – something he did while recovering from Achilles tendon surgery.
"I prefer to fish than play basketball," he once said.
FIBA