Nba Draft; Raptors Show Patience; Unpolished Italian Their Pick at No.1

Summary

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In the end, after weighing all of the pros and cons, it was the long-term future of the franchise that meant the most to the Toronto Raptors when they made Italian forward Andrea Bargnani the first overall pick in Wednesday's National Basketball Association draft.

Bargnani, the first European player to be selected first overall, was not considered the most NBA-ready player in the draft. But the Raptors, using their first-ever No. 1 overall pick, considered him to have the biggest overall upside, even though he may not reach his full potential for years.

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Nba Draft; Raptors Show Patience; Unpolished Italian Their Pick at No.1

"At the end of the day, it came down to that we felt Andrea Bargnani was really the best pick for the future of his organization moving forward," Raptors General Manager Jerry Colangelo said in Toronto. "It's not about today. It's about today and tomorrow."

Said Bargnani in New York, "It's unbelievable. I feel like I'm dreaming. I'm so proud to represent my country."

The 6-foot-10 Bargnan...

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