​The Pelicans Now Have a Serie A Playmaker

The new Pelican playmaker comes from the A2 League. In fact, Tommaso Bianchi, 26, from Florence, who played last year with Biella, will lead the University basketball team in the next C Gold League season, to the delight of coach Carlo Favero and all the team staff. This player, who has run the parquet floors of historic arenas such as Pistoia and Caserta, graduated in economics in Florence and arrives at Bocconi to attend the Master in Quantitative Finance and Risk Management. He was attracted by the prestige of our University and the facilities provided by the "Bocconi Sport Athletes" project, thanks to which he will be able to alternate training and matches in the new futuristic Bocconi Sport Center with lessons on campus. And, above all, he does it in the middle of his career, at a time when he certainly does not lack offers to continue in professional basketball. "From a very young age I have always had two passions", says Tommaso, "basketball and finance. The first because I had a natural talent, the second probably because of the work of my father, who is a financial consultant."

The decision to study finance is the logical consequence and the testimony that it was not a passing infatuation, "because when at 18, 19 you begin to earn a lot of money doing something you like, the risk is not to think too much about the future. I, on the other hand, strongly wanted to continue my studies to guarantee myself a future even after I leave the court." To the point that, having obtained one Master degree, he decided not to stop and to perfect his studies with another, Specialized Master: "Bocconi is one of the most prestigious universities but frankly I did not know that it also had a good basketball team and an ambitious sports program, with cutting-edge facilities", explains Tommaso. " It is not something very well known in the business. When I found out, thanks to a friend, I decided to inquire. Then from there began a close relationship with coach Favero and the team managers, who convinced me. And I can't wait to get started."

The priority for Tommaso Bianchi, however, remains the studies, from which he expects a lot: "At the end of the Master I trust I'll receive the right offer, the one that allows me to start a new career in the field of finance. I decided to do it now, without waiting for the natural end of my sports career, so as not to start too late in an environment where competition is high. My hope is for an opportunity abroad."

As for the upcoming basketball season, Tommaso Bianchi has clear ideas: "The Lombardy C Gold is recognized by everyone as the highest level of C league competition. I come from a higher category but I do not expect everything to be easy. I will have to train hard and integrate with my teammates." Then he'll wait and see. "As I said before, if an interesting offer comes I will put my studies to good use and leave basketball, at least as a job. Otherwise I will continue to play. A year in C Gold will allow me to keep in shape."