NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-2027)

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[djp73]

39 years young

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39 years young

Still tearing shit up

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KNOW YOUR NETS: LUIGI RANCATI

"ATTACA! ATTACA!” Kobe Bryant can be heard yelling in Italian after stopping a play in which he was looking for Italian shooting guard Luigi Rancati to go straight to the rack against the smaller Keith Perkins. He looks over at Bryant sheepishly and nods his head in apology.

“Sorry, Coach. Next time.”

Luigi Rancati joins the ranks of a short list of Italians that have played in the NBA: Marco Belinelli, Danilo Gallinari, and Andreas Bargnani among those.
He is hoping to achieve at least the same level of, if not more, success than his predecessors.

His road to the NBA from Chieti, Italy a commune just over 100 miles north of Rome, is not all that uncommon these days. He played Serie 2 basketball in Bologna for three seasons where averaged over 13 points and 4 assists per game. This garnered the attention of Vincenzo Esposito, head coach of the Fiat Torino in Italy’s top tier Serie A. He only played one season in there averaging 12 points and 5 assists and 2 steals per game, but there was more in store for Rancati’s basketball career.

“I was happy to play top basketball in Italy.”

There was an NBA scout visiting Turin, Piedmont, Italy that night taking a look at some of the American players on the team, one of them being his teammate Sherif Kenney, a point guard from Boston College. Nets’ scout Robert Brown came away impressed and brought back some extra information to Derek Baldwin and his staff in his report.

“I was impressed by his hustle on defense. I think he had like 7 or 8 steals that night,” said Baldwin. “Not a lot of scoring, but he covers the perimeter pretty well. I felt that we could groom into a solid NBA defender. All credit goes to Big Rob for this find.”

Baldwin immediately reached out to Esposito about his contract and told him that he should consider throwing his name in the ring for the NBA Draft. Unfortunately, Rancati was not on the radar of most teams and didn’t overwhelm anybody at the combine.

“I’m glad he didn’t blow out the competition,” said Baldwin. “I don’t know if that was the strategy that he and his agent put together to purposely lower his stock, but I’m glad he fell in our lap.”

He was drafted by the Nets with the 28th pick in the first round. Once it was apparent that he would remain on the team, he sent for his mother, Anna, and his two younger sisters, Michele and Isa to live with him in Brooklyn.

“It is comforting to have them with me,” said Rancati. “Basketball was how I help to provide for my family in Italy, so to have them with me in America is great.”

Rancati had a breakout game early in the season as he exploded for 31 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite his playing time dwindling over the course of the season, he managed to grab All-Rookie, Second Team honors.

He was looking to improve last season, but went out with injury in January He finished the season averaging 4 points per game. This summer he cut his trip to Italy short so that he could come back early and practice with his teammates back in the States. He participated in a few games at Dyckman Park with teammates Keith Perkins and Paul George.

“I need to be tougher.”

This season, the Nets are a bit deeper at the guard level with Derrick Baldwin, Andre Palmer and Garrett Temple on the roster. Rancati will have to work even harder to earn his minutes.

Once practice ended, players were clearing out of the gym. There were a few guys still shooting around. Keith Perkins decided to have a chat with his teammate.

“You should be afraid of me, but don’t act like it,” joked Perkins.

“Next time.”

Perkins called over a few of their teammates so they could run the play again.

It took a few tries, but eventually Rancati went to the rim and dunked over Perkins the next time he had the chance.

Keith gave him a small scowl then shoved the ball into his chest.

“Don’t dunk on me again, Lu.” Rancati stops in his tracks. Then Perkins’ scowl slowly changes to a smile. “But that’s how coach wants you to handle everybody else.”

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That Old Familiar Feeling

I am heading back to the apartment after a short morning film session, when I get a text from Carmen that I have a package at their place.

I knock on the door and I see Carmen cradling two babies. Neither of which are hers. Their ours. I take little Devin from her arms and give her a kiss on the cheek.

“How did you get the Wonder Twins? Is Jordan here too?”

“Yeah, he’s taking a nap in the nursery with Baby D.”

She steps to the side and lets me into the apartment. I make faces at my little man, as I take a seat on the couch.

“Where’s Naya?”

“She said she had to run to Midtown for a meeting. She left maybe 30 minutes ago. She said you’d be home from practice soon, so I told her we’d take the kids for a minute.”

“You got four babies by yourself? Where’s Devin?”

“I’m right here, man.” He comes out of the kitchen with a bottle, takes Santana from Carmen and begins to feed her.

“I appreciate you guys stepping in.”

“You’d do the same of we needed you to watch your godson.”

“Yeah, but it’s one of him, she dropped off the three of them to y’all.”

I was kind of feeling a way about it. Why would she just leave the kids to take a damn meeting? She couldn’t do this over FaceTime or whatever?

“It’s no worries, man,” Devin said. “Jordan was already asleep when she brought him over. So, it’s really like we just had the twins. And they’ve been super quiet.”

I hung out with Devin and Carmen and just caught up with them. Our lives have been busy. Basketball for me, clients and running Dark Horse Management for Devin, and Carmen is being a mom and working on starting her new clothing line from home. My friend has an impeccable eye for fashion and I’m excited that she’s doing this deal with Tom Ford.

“So, when am I gonna start modeling, Carmen? You know I’m ready. Give her my measurements, Devin. You’re not gonna be the only with the drip.”

Once Santana was fed and burped, Devin helped me to haul the kids upstairs. Naya still hadn’t returned yet and she hadn’t texted anything more than ‘K’ when I told her that I got the kids from Devin and Carmen. I didn’t feel like cooking so I ordered some pizza from Grimaldi’s for a late lunch.

Jordan and I were watching Cars, while the twins were taking a nap in their nursery, when Naya came into the house. She looked really excited and had a bag from Henry’s End. She curled up next to me on the couch. Jordan quickly left my side and climbed into her lap. She kissed his head.

“Hey, baby.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I brought us some lunch. You hungry?”

“We had Grimaldi’s already.” I never took my eyes from the movie.

Her face fell a little bit. And I felt bad, but I was upset with her and I couldn’t let a NY Strip Steak with 15 spices and apple chutney soften my demeanor.

“Daddy bought pizza! Pizza not for babies.”

“He did! Sounds delicious. And, no, the babies can’t have pizza yet. Is there any left?” She was asking both of us.

“Show Mama where the pizza is, J. I’ll pause the movie.”

Jordan grabbed her hand and dragged her to the kitchen. I peeked into the bag from Henry’s End. I knew it, my steak was in there.

Stay strong, DB.

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A few hours later and we were finally getting ready for bed. She tried to make conversation at dinner, but I didn’t have much to say. I still didn’t, but I knew she wasn’t going to let me to go bed giving her the silent treatment.

“So, you didn’t say anything about the movie.”

“That’s cool, babe.”

“That’s cool? That’s it. It’s James Bond! I thought you of all people would be excited about this!”

James Bond is one of my favorite movie characters. Our first official out in public date was to the premier of a James Bond movie 10 years ago. So, it was pretty damn cool. But I couldn't bring myself to focus on that right now.

“I know, but all I’m hearing is that you’re about to be filming for three months, maybe more, while we have three kids at home.”

“So, you don’t won’t me to go back to work? You know how much I’ve been wanting to get back into acting, D.”

“I hear that, but the twins aren’t even a year old, yet. Can’t you just wait another year?”

“Another year? Another year?! Why do I have to push my career back? Do you realize that I’m almost forty? You’re doing what you want to do! I was behind you one hundred percent!”

“We’re in a different space in our lives. I really thought you were going to just focus on the music after the twins were born. And I was cool with that. But film schedules are just –”

“No. No, we are not doing this. I am filming this movie and that’s it. We’re not talking about this anymore. We can hire someone to help with the kids and Mychal said he’d help out too once the season is over, and my mom will be here to help too.”

“Well, you got this shit all figured out then.” The twins began crying over the baby monitor. She started to get up from the bed. “Don’t bother. Let me get a head start on the next three to four months.”

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[djp73]

D in a spot now, I predict retirement after this season