Michele Vitali

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Michele Vitali

| image =

| caption =

| position = Shooting guard

| height_m = 1.96

| weight_kg = 88

| league = LBA

| team = Pallacanestro Reggiana

| number = 31

| nationality = Italian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|10|31|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bologna, Italy

| draft_year = 2013

| career_start = 2010

| career_end =

| years1 = 2010–2012

| team1 = Virtus Bologna

| years2 = 2010–2011

| team2 = →Sporting Club Gira

| years3 = 2012–2013

| team3 = Biancoblù Basket Bologna

| years4 = 2014–2015

| team4 = Juvecaserta Basket

| years5 = 2015–2016

| team5 = Virtus Bologna

| years6 = 2016–2018

| team6 = Basket Brescia Leonessa

| years7 = 2018–2019

| team7 = MoraBanc Andorra

| years8 = 2019–2020

| team8 = Dinamo Sassari

| years9 = 2020–2021

| team9 = Brose Bamberg

| years10 = 2021–2022

| team10 = Reyer Venezia

| years11 = 2022–present

| team11 = Reggio Emilia

| highlights =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{ITA}}}}

}}

Michele Vitali (born 31 October 1991) is an Italian professional basketball player for Reggio Emilia of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) as a shooting guard.

Personal life

His brother is fellow pro basketball player Luca Vitali, Michele has played against him a few times in Serie A and together on a few occasions, including one season for Virtus Bologna and notably for the national team.

Their parents were also basketball players, their mother Anna Maria Mazzoli and their father Roberto both played in the Italian lower divisions, peculiarly they met in 1978 whilst they were attending an event with their respective youth national teams.[http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2009/febbraio/03/Fratelli_Vitali_contro_destino_canestro_ga_10_090203079.shtml "Vitali brothers against each other, a basketball destiny."], La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bologna, 3 February 2009. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}}

Professional career

Vitali progressed through the youth ranks of home town club Virtus Bologna, he was called up to the first squad on occasion and made his first division debut in February 2009 playing a single minute with one missed shot.[http://www.legabasket.it/game/65/65597.html "Legabasket Serie A - 2° Gionarta Ritorno (La Fortezza Bologna – Armani Jeans Milano)."], Legabasket. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}} That was his only appearance for the senior team for the season, he wouldn't be able to break into the side either in 2009–10 with two solitary minutes but he played a decisive role as the Under-19 squad won their national championship.[http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2010/giugno/08/Virtus_scudettino_Gira_club_satellite_ga_10_100608096.shtml "Virtus, the small championship and the satellite club Gira."], La Gazzetta dello Sport, 8 June 2010. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}}

To gain experience he was loaned to new Virtus satellite club Gira Ozzano {{in lang|it}} in the third division for 2010–11. It proved to be a fruitful loan as he played 27 games with 9,8 points on average for Gira.[http://www.corrieredellosport.it/basket/serie_a/2013/07/29-329868/Juve,+ufficiale+la+firma+di+Michele+Vitali "Juve makes official the signature of Michele Vitali."]Corriere dello Sport, Caserta, 29 July 2013. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}}

Following this positive experience he returned to Virtus but didn't manage to break into the first squad, playing only three games the whole season. This prompted him to rescind his contract with Virtus and join cross town side Biancoblù Basket Bologna {{in lang|it}} of the Legadue in October 2012.Carchia, Emiliano. [http://www.sportando.com/en/italy/serie-a/95708/michele-vitali-leaves-virtus-bologna-set-to-join-biancoblu.html "Michele Vitali leaves Virtus Bologna, set to join Biancoblù."]Sportando, 11 October 2012. Retrieved on 11 May 2015. His time with the white and blue proved successful, he established himself as a starter for the team, playing 27 games with 9.8 points on average and even participated in the Legadue All Star Game where he was voted best player under 24.[http://www.corrieredellosport.it/basket/legadue/2013/02/03-300529/Pozzecco+All+Star+James+è+l'MVP "Pozzecco All Star James is MVP."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402090843/http://www.corrieredellosport.it/basket/legadue/2013/02/03-300529/Pozzecco+All+Star+James+%C3%A8+l'MVP |date=2015-04-02 }}Corriere dello Sport, Vigevano, 3 February 2013. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}}

His performances garnered interest from Serie A clubs, after Biancoblù lost in the promotion playoffs, he joined Juvecaserta Basket in July 2014.

In his first full top division season Vitali was an important player as Caserta finished just outside the playoff places, playing in all but one game, he was also selected for the All Star Game after other players proved unavailable.Valenti, Stefano. [http://www.repubblica.it/sport/basket/2014/04/12/news/presentazione_all_star_game_italiano-83406593/ "Basketball, the All Star Game is here: Pianigiani with a youthful Italy."]la Repubblica, Roma, 12 April 2014. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}}

The 2014–15 season proved to be more complicated, Vitali missed the first part of the season with a knee injuryGiannoni, Carlo. [http://www.juvecaserta.it/la-situazione-infortuni/ "Update on the injured ."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518101516/http://www.juvecaserta.it/la-situazione-infortuni/ |date=2015-05-18 }}Juvecaserta Basket, 15 October 2014. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}} and - as a starter - could not stop Caserta's relegation, confirmed after a loss in the last game of the season.

On 2 July 2015, Vitali signed a two-year contract with Virtus Bologna of the Italian LBA.{{cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/italy/serie-a/166650/virtus-bologna-signs-michele-vitali-to-a-two-year-contract.html |title=Virtus Bologna signs Michele Vitali to a two-year contract |author= |website=Sportando.basketball|date=2 July 2015}}

On 4 August 2016, Vitali signed a one-year deal with Basket Brescia Leonessa and joined his brother Luca Vitali.{{cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/italy/serie-a/208707/michele-vitali-joins-his-brother-luca-in-brescia.html |title=Michele Vitali joins his brother Luca in Brescia |author= |website=Sportando.basketball|date=4 August 2016}} On 29 June 2017, he extended his contract with Brescia for one more season.{{cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/italy/serie-a/239052/brescia-re-signs-michele-vitali.html |title=Brescia re-signs Michele Vitali |author= |website=Sportando.basketball|date=29 June 2017}} On 10 July 2017, Michele officially left Brescia after two great seasons in LBA.{{cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/it/italia/serie-a/281074/brescia-saluta-michele-vitali-al-termine-di-due-stagioni-indimenticabili.html|title=Brescia saluta Michele Vitali al termine di due stagioni indimenticabili|author=|website=Sportando.basketball|date=10 July 2018|language=Italian|trans-title=Brescia greets Michele Vitali at the end of two unforgettable seasons}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On 10 July 2018, Vitali signed a two-year contract with the Spanish club MoraBanc Andorra.{{cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/spain/acb/281099/morabanc-andorra-signs-michele-vitali-to-a-two-year-contract.html |title=MoraBanc Andorra sings Michele Vitali to a two-year contract |author= |website=Sportando.basketball|date=10 July 2018}}

Vitali spent the 2019–20 season with Dinamo Sassari and averaged 10.3 points and three rebounds per game. On 28 July 2020, Vitali signed with Brose Bamberg of the German Basketball Bundesliga.{{cite news |title=Brose Bamberg signs Michele Vitali, Chase Fieler |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/brose-bamberg-signs-michele-vitali-chase-fieler/ |website=Sportando |accessdate=28 July 2020 |date=28 July 2020|last1=Lupo |first1=Nicola }}

He returned in Italy on 24 June 2021, signing a multi-year contract with Reyer Venezia.{{cite web |title=Michele Vitali è un giocatore dell'Umana Reyer! |url=https://www.reyer.it/michele-vitali-e-un-giocatore-dellumana-reyer/ |publisher=reyer.it |date=24 June 2021 |language=Italian }}

On 6 August 2022, he has signed with Reggio Emilia of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/michele-vitali-leaves-reyer-venezia-joins-pallacanestro-reggiana/|title=Michele Vitali leaves Reyer Venezia, joins Pallacanestro Reggiana|last=|first=|date=1 August 2022|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=7 August 2022|last1=Carchia |first1=Emiliano }}

Career statistics

=Domestic league=

==Regular season==

| style="text-align:left;"| 2011-12[http://195.56.77.208/player/pbd.phtml?ply=VIT-MIC&from=1980&team=1260&type2=t&name_search=Vitali "Michele Vitali - Total statistics"], Lega Basket. Retrieved on 29 April 2015.{{in lang|it}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Canadian Solar Bologna

| 3 || 0 || 3.3 || 1.7 || 0 || 100.0 || 66.7 || 0.7 || 0.3 || 0 || 0.3 || 0.7

| style="text-align:left;"| 2013-14

| style="text-align:left;"| Pasta Reggia Caserta

| 29 || 8 || 23.7 || 8.3 || 46.5 || 30.9 || 70 || 3.4 || 1 || 0 || 0.7 || 0.9

| style="text-align:left;"| 2014-15

| style="text-align:left;"| Pasta Reggia Caserta

| 22 || 21 || 25.4 || 7.5 || 42.9 || 25.4 || 78.4 || 2.5 || 1.3 || 0 || 0.8 || 1.9

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:left;"| Career

| style="text-align:left;"|

| 54 || 29 || 14.9 || 5.8 || 44.5 || 28.9 || 73.4 || 2.2 || 1.1 || 0 || 0.7 || 1.2

International career

He first played in the under aged categories for Italy, for the U18's in the 2009 European Championship, then for the U20's in the 2010 European Championship and the 2011 European Championship,[https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/p/lid_38135_cp/2/pid/77358/q/vitali/rpp//_//players.html "Michele Vitali"], FIBA. Retrieved on 11 May 2015. most notably winning the silver medal at the latter edition.[http://www.fibaeurope.com/cid_KNce8jInH7Qj1EsyH5rjn2.compID_UIfgjyQcGqk-fPlnl66Tj0.roundID_8166.season_2011.gameID_8249-70-A-1.html "U20 European Championship 2011 : Italy - Spain (Game Report)."], FIBA Europe, 24 July 2011. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.

After falling off the radar for a period, he joined the senior national team in 2014, helping Italy qualify for EuroBasket 2015.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150519043527/http://www.eurobasket2015.org/en/cid_FaTi64YyIbQDnvc3JDbil1.compID_qMRZdYCZI6EoANOrUf9le2.roundID_9318.season_2015.teamID_307.playerID_77358.html "Michele Vitali (Italy)"]}}, FIBA Europe. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.[http://www.fip.it/naz_giocatori.asp?IDGiocatore=1628&Tipo=M&Naz=AM "Michele Vitali"], Federazione Italiana Pallacanestro. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}}

References

External links

[http://web.legabasket.it/player/VIT-MIC/vitali_michele "Michele Vitali at"], Lega Basket. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.{{in lang|it}}
[http://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Michele_Vitali/Italy/Pasta_Reggia_JuveCaserta/171631 "Michele Vitali at."], Eurobasket.com. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.
[http://basketball.realgm.com/player/Michele-Vitali/Summary/25899 "Michele Vitali at."], RealGM. Retrieved on 11 May 2015.

Category:1991 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Italian sportsmen

Category:Bamberg Baskets players

Category:Basketball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Category:Basketball players from Bologna

Category:BC Andorra players

Category:Dinamo Sassari players

Category:Expatriate basketball people in Andorra

Category:Italian expatriate basketball people in Germany

Category:Italian expatriate basketball people in Spain

Category:Italian men's basketball players