Position – Forward
Age – 22 yrs
Height – 6’-10”
Weight – 225 lbs
2011-2012 Salary – $4,190,182
Danilo Gallinari was born on August 8th, 1988 in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, Italy. His father Vittorio played professional basketball in the Italian League. Danilo made a rapid rise through the Italian leagues himself, helping his team to the division two championship game in 2006.
Gallinari declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft in 2008 and was selected 6th Overall by the New York Knicks. Playing for the Knicks, Danilo would end up under the tutelage of head coach Mike D’Antoni who played in the Italian League with father Vittorio. As a starter during the ’09-’10 NBA Season, Gallinari averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds per game.
By 2010-2011 “Gallo” was averaging 16 points per game and continued to play a starting role. After coming to Denver as part of the Carmelo Anthony-/-Chauncey Billups Megatrade, Gallinari’s minutes per game and scoring dropped slightly, but his three-point percentage (37%), defensive rebounding, and scoring efficiency all reached career highs.
Danilo has played for the Under-16 and Under-18 Italian national teams. He withdrew from Italy’s National Basketball Team before the 2007 European Championships due to an injury. Gallinari switches between power forward and small forward, but has played predominantly at the 4 for George Karl with the Nuggets.
Gallinari returned to his former Italian League team Olimpia Milano during the 2011 NBA lockout, but was allowed to return to the Nuggets immediately following an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
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