John Petrucelli Leaving Trapani to Join Galatasaray

Petrucelli set for move to Istanbul

John Petrucelli is on his way from Trapani to Galatasaray, with a deal expected to be completed soon. The Italian-American wing will reunite with coach Gianmarco Pozzecco, who worked with him in Italy and helped bring him through early in his career. Pozzecco has already started life at the Turkish club with a derby win over Besiktas, and Petrucelli will join a squad hoping to build on that momentum.

Trapani have seen several players move on this window, and Petrucelli is one of the last to leave. Another teammate, Sanogo, looks set to head to Hapoel Holon. With a Serie A game looming on Monday, Petrucelli’s immediate availability could be affected while the transfer is finalised.

On the court this season in Italy — his third overall there, after two seasons in Brescia — Petrucelli averaged roughly 10 points, about 3 assists and close to 2 rebounds per game. In the FIBA Champions League his numbers were more modest, around 6 points, 3–4 rebounds and about 2–3 assists per contest.

Other roster notes and player form

Jordan Ford continues to impress in his second Italian season. He’s averaging in the low double digits for points with around 4–4.5 assists and a couple of rebounds per game, and his Champions League numbers are very similar.

Across Turkey, club officials have been clear that ambitions are high — teams want trophies and some squads are still open to adding reinforcements before the transfer window shuts. Expect a few more moves in the next couple of days as clubs finalise plans.

Off the court, a number of coaches and players have been speaking to the media recently about coaching influences, club goals and the state of European basketball. Conversation topics include the impact of high-profile coaches on player preparation, clubs aiming higher in continental competitions, and personal ambitions to return to top-level tournaments.