Danilo Gallinari is a tough-as-nails Italian stallion who will become more popular than “The Sopranos” if drafted by the Knicks.
That’s the view of some European-based NBA scouts who see Gallinari’s skills, versatility, height, power, breeding and shot making worthy of a high lottery pick.
Others, however, wonder if Gallinari’s athleticism is good enough for him to be a competent NBA defender at small forward.
Gallinari, a 19-year-old, 6-foot-10 superstar of the Italian League, has become the NBA draft’s biggest mystery – as anonymous as Rocky before fighting Apollo Creed.
However, Gallinari is squarely on the Knicks’ radar, especially after the lottery pingpong balls sent them falling to the sixth pick, especially with new coach Mike D’Antoni a connoisseur of Italian basketball.
Knicks president Donnie Walsh dispatched Isiah Thomas overseas last week to take a look at Gallinari.
Gallinari, playing in the Italian League playoffs for Armani Jeans Milan, likely will be the first European taken in the June 26 draft. Whether he is worthy of the sixth pick is something Walsh will agonize over for weeks.
Walsh is considering whether to make a draft-day deal, move down a few pegs, or trade the pick altogether if they can entice a team to take on Zach Randolph’s cap-killing contract.
“He’s better than [Andreas] Bargnani, no question,” one longtime Eastern Conference European scout told The Post, referring to the No. 1 pick of the 2006 Draft. “He’s Tom Chambers. Nobody’s said that before.
“The guy doesn’t back down from anybody. You’re in his face. He’ll get right back at them,” the scout added. “Knick fans would love him. The only Europeans who succeed in the NBA are the tough ones . The Italian league is better than college. If you put him in college ball, he’d be getting 25-30 (points) a night and everyone would be going ga-ga.”
At No. 6, the Knicks may be stuck in a position where speedy point guard Jerryd Bayless, combo guard O.J. Mayo and Stanford center Brook Lopez are off the board, leaving them with a pool of more questionable prospects.
Bayless, Mayo and Lopez are considered the three players most ready to make an impact next season after the obvious top two picks, Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley. With the draft order settled, the first mock draft for Insidehoops.com yesterday had the Knicks taking Gallinari, who would be the first European on their roster since Maciej Lampe in 2004. Thomas shunned European talent during his reign.
Gallinari, averaging 17.4 points and 5.6 rebounds, is finishing up the Italian League playoffs and will miss the pre-draft camp physicals next week. Workouts with NBA teams loom pivotal.
“He’s 6-10 with a lot of skill, not the usual European player who comes over here,” Walsh said. “He could be a very high pick. Once he gets through his playoffs and works out for people, we’ll know where his stock is, but he’s a really good prospect.”
Gallinari’s father, Vittorio, was a Milan teammate of D’Antoni’s for seven seasons. Vittorio is now a high-profile agent. D’Antoni speaks fluent Italian and would have an easier time reaching the teenager. One scout said he could be D’Antoni’s New York version of Boris Diaw, using the small forward in the post on occasion to form mismatches, as he did with Diaw in Phoenix.
“There’s a connection there, but I don’t know what Donnie’s thinking is,” D’Antoni said.
Former Knicks international scouting director Tim Shea, who worked with D’Antoni in Phoenix, said, “[Vittorio] was the enforcer, he was the sheriff. He played defense like nobody’s business. The son’s not there but he’s tough.”
Another longtime NBA scouting director for Europe who lives in Italy said, “He’s got a complete package, he can shoot, slash to the basket, he’s a finisher, good body control. You can give him the ball with six seconds on the shot clock and he can get his shot off.”
However, there are skeptics. One NBA executive is concerned about the younger Gallinari’s athleticism.
“He’s not a jumper,” the executive said. “He’s a guy who could struggle defensively if you speed up the game. It’s a red flag.”
Shea, coaching this season in South Korea, said, “The questions are lateral quickness and center of gravity and how he will cover guys. But the skills are there.”