Just before deciding to take Andrea Bargnani as the top pick in last year's draft. Toronto hired fellow Italian Maurizio Gherardini as assisant GM. Bargnani and Gherardini shared a closer connection than nationality. Gherardini ran Bargnani's Italian league team, Benetton Treviso. And it was also Gherardini who gave Boki Nachbar his start, recruiting him to Benetton at age 16. He reminisces about Boki, congratulates him and wishes him luck...just not now.
- A Slovenian Connection... - Maurizio Gherardini - Toronto Raptors