Matilde Villa from Brianza to US basketball: "The WNBA will be a dream, but there are phenomenal players in Europe too."

LISSONE (Monza and Brianza) – Grit on the pitch and boundless enthusiasm. Matilde Villa , 20, with roots in Brianza in Lissone , star of Umana Reyer Venezia , is already thinking beyond the serious injury she suffered at the end of May, the ruptured cruciate ligament in the friendly between the Italian national team and Belgium . She arrived after the season had already concluded, but she has nonetheless made her mark on the upcoming fixtures and on the future, which has been somewhat compromised.

A bad injury, no European Championships, it will be a slightly different year than expected.

"The recovery will be long. There's no doubt about that. Now we have to do all the rehabilitation without rushing, then training will resume. That won't be enough: to be competitive, we'll also need to regain confidence on the pitch and then with the rhythm of the match. It will take patience."

Have you already set a goal?

"Yes, I have a date in my heart: the championship final in April. I know I'll be away from the pitch for a long time, but I want to return in time to contribute to the team and test myself at a high level again. The injury wasn't needed, it was bad, but I'm convinced I can be there for that important moment."

In the background, the transition to the WNBA, the most competitive women's basketball league in the world, optioned by Atlanta.

“Being selected in the draft is the culmination of a dream. I can't wait to have this experience. Of course, there were some legitimate initial concerns, but the interaction with other girls who already play there, with my family who is always supportive, and with my sister Eleonora who is already attending college in the United States playing basketball, have been a huge help. I'm very close to my sister; we've shared so many life experiences, including many sports. We both dedicated ourselves to swimming and dance since we were little girls. And together, we discovered mini-basketball by going to play at Costa Masnaga, a crucial step in our development because it's a place that really values young players. It's nice to know that my sister will also be in the US, even though she actually plays and studies on the other side of the country, near Seattle.”

What is your biggest fear for the future experience?

Well, the United States has many of the world's best players. Basketball will also be a little different. In short, a world to discover, and the change of lifestyle will also have to be considered. However, it's true that worries are also a source of strength: I can't wait to tackle all this, both from a strictly sporting perspective and from a human perspective. The experiences I've had so far have helped me: playing with athletes from all over the world has helped me grow as a person. In Venice, I also had my first experience of living away from home; I even had to cook for myself! Basketball, for me, also means having many other experiences: so far, I've been lucky because, after leaving Brianza to join Umana Reyer, I had the opportunity to experience the Venetian atmosphere and discover a splendid city. I'll be looking for that in my future experience as well.

What does it mean to join the prestigious WNBA without having gone through college? Will she feel penalized, or will she feel like a star?

It's nice to see that someone believes in my potential and has noticed me. Over the years, I moved to Umana Reyer Venezia precisely because I was looking for new challenges. I've always wanted to play at the highest level, competing against the Euroleague champions. The result didn't live up to our expectations, but playing against the European powerhouses was stimulating. Mentally And I'm ready to try my hand at the WNBA too. I'm disappointed that I won't be able to have the college experience, which has always attracted me and which I hear my sister speak highly of, but I'm satisfied that I was drafted."

In the men's NBA, Europeans, once considered weak, are now often a benchmark. What kind of consideration do you expect from the WNBA?

Respect always has to be earned. I have the impression that the situation in women's basketball is different than in the NBA. In the WNBA, there's still a significant gap between the United States and the rest of the world. There are exceptions, of course. There are some phenomenal players in Europe. We, as internationals, have the task of gradually bringing more and more European influence overseas and of growing the basketball movement here in Italy. It will be an experience to be embraced with enthusiasm and the hope of being an added value.