The Post’s Steve Serby sat down with the Knicks’ No. 1 draft pick.
Q: You’re not afraid about the whole world watching while you play [the big stage]?
A: No, no, I’m not afraid.
Q: Why not?
A: ‘Cause I like pressure. . . . Since I was 16 years old entering professional league, all the eyes were on me. And in Milan you have to win. . . . every game. So if you not win, that would be not easy. … So there is a lot of pressure. … I think it’s a part of my job, so I like pressure. … When I got to throw the [first] pitch [at Shea last weekend], when I practice here [Knicks facility] I was not throwing good pitches. Best one was when I get out of the court, and with 55,000 people, they give me power.
Q: That was your first baseball game. You had a hot dog?
A: Yeah, nice. Hot dog and hamburger also.
Q: Wash it down with a beer?
A: No, no, just Sprite, I like Sprite.
Q: Do you want to take the last shot to win the game?
A: I used to take that shot, so I hope that this year the team will trust me and trust in my abilities to get that shot.
Q: If they do trust you, you would want the ball?
A: Yeah.
Q: With a chance to win the game?
A: Yeah.
Q: Because you’re not afraid to miss?
A: No, no, no.
Q: You were a point guard.
A: Last year in the starting five I play like small forward, but if the point guard needs some help because they pressure the ball, I got the ball.
Q: Could you play point guard if the Knicks needed you to?
A: If they need it, yeah.
Q: Is it fun?
A: Yeah, it’s the position that I like most. ‘Cause I like to settle the team, and try to beat the team in their weakness.
Q: Favorite childhood memory?
A: When my little brother was born.
Q: What’s the age difference?
A: Nine years.
Q: Did you hold him at the hospital?
A: I hold him later when they clean him and put all the towels on him.
Q: What was that feeling like when you held him?
A: That was an incredible feeling.
Q: Do you have a girlfriend?
A: No.
Q: Describe the perfect girlfriend.
A: Like physically, or inside?
Q: Both.
A: Physically, has got to be so nice like [chuckle] I don’t know, Adriana Lima, you know Adriana Lima? Inside, she’s got to be intelligent, smart . . . and my time during the day, she’s gotta respect these things.
Q: Does she have to be an Italian girl?
A: No, she could be from every country of the world.
Q: Did you get marriage proposals in the mail in Milan?
A: I remember two.
Q: Did you answer them back?
A: No.
Q: Why, they sent ugly pictures?
A: [Chuckle] No, because in that period, I was with my girlfriend. I was not seeing her so I was thinking about my girlfriend.
Q: Do you speak better English than Mike D’Antoni speaks Italian?
A: [Chuckle]. Is a great battle. Great fight, I don’t know.
Q: Your first dunk?
A: In practice, I don’t remember, in game, I remember well. I was 15 years old, and it was the final of a little tournament in Italy. . . . I was going on a fastbreak and I dunked, the first time.
Q: Best piece of advice your parents gave you.
A: Do the best of myself in everything I do and everything I do concentrate on what I’m doing, not thinking about other things.
Q: Was that your father or mother?
A: Mostly my father. My mother more watch out about people, think about your family. Your family’s the most important thing.
Q: Watch out about people?
A: People that try to come to you and say, “I’m your friend,” they are not your friend, and these type of things.
Q: Most embarrassing moment?
A: There was a big meeting in high school, everybody was listening to teachers and things like that, and I was doing like this [leaning back] in the chair, and I fell down, and like the people were looking at me and say, “Hello.”
Q: Your 20th birthday is August 8 – how will you celebrate it?
A: I will be with the Italian national team, so I don’t know. . . . I will celebrate with a practice [chuckle].
Q: Do you drive in traffic?
A: I got my driver’s license in Milan, so if you can drive in Milan you can drive all over the world.
Q: What kind of car would you buy?
A: I like big cars, like SUV.
Q: NBA players you like to watch.
A: I like Kobe [Bryant] and KG [Kevin Garnett].
Q: What is it about KG you like?
A: Because he puts all the power he has on the court, and he plays hard and he plays for the team.
Q: And Kobe?
A: He’s simply … unguardable. You cannot guard him, I think. Even if Paul Pierce this year made a great job. … Boston in general … all the team made a great defense. I went to see Game 5 … phew! They played great defense.
Q: How about LeBron [James]?
A: He’s like a big man but he moves like a point guard. He’s not human.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Michael Jordan; Larry Bird; Angelina Jolie.
Q: Did your father tell you any funny stories about Mike D’Antoni [his Milan teammate]?
A: I let Mike talk about that [smile]. Mike lived all the stories, I only heard about stories.
Q: Where do you shop?
A: I don’t like to go shopping.
Q: But you wear Armani.
A: Yeah, yeah. But I don’t go shopping because all the clothes come to my house [smile]. They send clothes to my house.
Q: You’ve done modeling?
A: They put big posters on buildings in Milan and things like that.
Q: Your nickname is Gallo?
A: It means rooster. But here, in USA., if you talk about rooster, everybody smiles or get fun about that. In Italy, Gallo is a great nickname. Everybody respect that.
Q: People will be calling you the Italian Stallion.
A: Yeah, it’s nice also.
Q: Sylvester Stallone . . . ?
A: He was the best one. He is the Italian Stallion. If they want to call me like that, it’s OK, but my nickname is Gallo.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Sushi; gnocchi with gorgonzola cheese.
Q: What kind of sushi?
A: Every type of sushi.
Q: Have you been to Nobu?
A: Yeah, yeah. We got one Nobu in Milan, because it is in the same building of Armani.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Man On Fire “American Pie.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Denzel Washington.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Angelina Jolie.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Justin Timberlake.
Q: Give me a scouting report about your game.
A: That I play hard and I play with heart and give everything for the team. The other technical things, I let you say that, or the coaches say that.
Q: Your message for Knick fans?
A: Come to see the games, and let’s win some games … together.