Pierluigi Marzorati
Encyclopedia
Pierluigi Marzorati (born September 12, 1952 in Figino Serenza
, Italy) is an Italian former basketball
player who won the silver medal with Italy
at the 1980 Summer Olympics
in Moscow, the title in the 1983 European Championship
, plus three bronze medals at the 1971
, 1975
and 1985
European Championships.
Marzorati eventually played 278 matches for the Italian national team scoring 2209 points.
He is considered one of the best points guards
of all time in Europe and was named the European Player of the Year
Mister Europa in 1976. In 2007, he was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame
and in 2008 he was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
.
He was one of the key players of the Pallacanestro Cantù
team (in which he played from 1969 to 1991), winning 2 Italian league
titles (in 1975 and 1981), 2 European Basketball Champions' Cup
s (1982 and 1983), 4 Korać Cup
s (1973, 1974, 1975 and 1991), 2 Intercontinental Cups (1975 and 1982) and 4 Cup Winners' Cups
(1977, 1978, 1979 and 1981). He first announced his retirement in 1991 after playing his whole career for Pallacanestro Cantù. After that, he became a vice-president for the club and served in that capacity until 1996.
In July 2006, Marzorati decided to come back at age 54 to top class competitions with Pallacanestro Cantù for the 70th anniversary of the team. On October 6, 2006, he finally appeared in an official match for Cantù, playing two minutes in a Serie A league
game against national champions Benetton Treviso
, won 70-69. This way, he became the first basketball player in history to have played official matches in five different decades, as well as the oldest professional basketball player to have ever taken part in an official match.
Figino Serenza
Figino Serenza is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about southeast of Como. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 4,842 and an area of 4.9 km²....
, Italy) is an Italian former basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who won the silver medal with Italy
Italy national basketball team
The Italian national basketball team is the national basketball team representing Italy. It is administrated by the Federazione Italiana Pallacanestro ....
at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1980 Summer Olympics was held from July 20 to July 30 at the Olympiiski Indoor Stadium and at the CSKA Sports Palace, both located in Moscow. Finals of both men's and women's events were held 30 July at the Olympiiski Indoor Stadium....
in Moscow, the title in the 1983 European Championship
EuroBasket 1983
-Venues:-Group A - Limoges :-Group B - Cannes :-Places 9 - 12:-Places 5 - 8:-Places 1 - 4:-Finals:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # # -Team rosters:...
, plus three bronze medals at the 1971
EuroBasket 1971
-Venues:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # # -Group A - Essen:-Group B - Böblingen:-Places 9 - 12 in Essen:-Places 5 - 8 in Essen:-Places 1 - 4 in Essen:-Finals - all games in Essen:-Team rosters:...
, 1975
EuroBasket 1975
-Group A - Split:-Group B - Karlovac:-Group C - Rijeka:-Places 7 - 12:-Places 1 - 6 in Belgrade:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # # -Team rosters:...
and 1985
EuroBasket 1985
-Venues:-Group A - Karlsruhe :-Group A - Leverkusen :-Places 9 - 12 in Stuttgart:-1/4 finals :-Places 5 - 8 in Stuttgart:-Places 1 - 4 in Stuttgart:-Finals in Stuttgart:-Final rankings:# # # # # # # # # # # #...
European Championships.
Marzorati eventually played 278 matches for the Italian national team scoring 2209 points.
He is considered one of the best points guards
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
of all time in Europe and was named the European Player of the Year
European Basketball Player of the Year Awards
The European Basketball Player of the Year Awards are the three awards given out on a yearly basis to the best male European basketball player of the year. More specifically, those are the Mr. Europa award, which began in 1976, the Euroscar, established in 1979, and the FIBA Europe Player of the...
Mister Europa in 1976. In 2007, he was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame honors basketball players, coaches and administrators who have contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA in 1991. It includes the "Samaranch Library", the biggest basketball library in the world that, as of 2007, has over 10,000 basketball...
and in 2008 he was chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
50 Greatest Euroleague Contributors
The 50 Greatest Contributors in Euroleague History were chosen on February 3, 2008, in Madrid, Spain. The occasion was the fiftieth anniversary since the founding of the FIBA European Champions Cup, officially recognized as the predecessor to today's Euroleague.The list was made up of the...
.
He was one of the key players of the Pallacanestro Cantù
Pallacanestro Cantù
Pallacanestro Cantù is an Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Cantù. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bennet Cantù, after Bennet, an Italian supermarket chain. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below...
team (in which he played from 1969 to 1991), winning 2 Italian league
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
titles (in 1975 and 1981), 2 European Basketball Champions' Cup
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
s (1982 and 1983), 4 Korać Cup
Korac Cup
The Korać Cup was an annual basketball club competition held by FIBA between the 1971-72 and 2001-02 seasons. It was the third-tier level club competition in European basketball, after the European Champions' Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup...
s (1973, 1974, 1975 and 1991), 2 Intercontinental Cups (1975 and 1982) and 4 Cup Winners' Cups
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
(1977, 1978, 1979 and 1981). He first announced his retirement in 1991 after playing his whole career for Pallacanestro Cantù. After that, he became a vice-president for the club and served in that capacity until 1996.
In July 2006, Marzorati decided to come back at age 54 to top class competitions with Pallacanestro Cantù for the 70th anniversary of the team. On October 6, 2006, he finally appeared in an official match for Cantù, playing two minutes in a Serie A league
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
game against national champions Benetton Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group...
, won 70-69. This way, he became the first basketball player in history to have played official matches in five different decades, as well as the oldest professional basketball player to have ever taken part in an official match.