Italy were sky high while hosting last year's EuroBasket Women in Chieti but there's not much evidence of the feel-good factor with the Azzurre nine months later.

New women's national team coach Giampero Ticchi spoke to the media on Tuesday for the first time since his recent appointment. So far, he has not been getting positive vibes from most of the players who were in the national team set-up last summer.

 "I contacted 16 of the players that took part in the EuroBasket (including preparations), the starters and the reserves," Ticchi said.

"Only three have given me an unconditional yes, and that is not good.

"Some reasons are personal and have to be respected, others due to their physical conditions, while other reasons have to do with a lack of motivation that I can understand but do not accept."

Ticchi fears the players do not share his enthusiasm for the challenges that lie ahead.

"There is a disenchantment towards the team that has not won anything," Ticchi said, "but to say ‘no' to the national team is treason.

"I hope this message arrives to all of the players, whether they are on holiday or they are on the other side of the ocean."

One player who is doing quite well on the other side of the ocean is Raffaella Masciadri.

The 1.85m forward averaged 7.8 points and four rebounds per game last summer at the EuroBasket and followed that up with a EuroCup Women and Italian championship-double winning campaign at Beretta Famila.

At the end of the Italian campaign, she left Schio for the Los Angeles Sparks and so far has played more than 20 minutes per game in the WNBA.

"Our first  meeting (June 12) will allow us to get to know each other," Ticchi said, before acknowledging that Masciadri's WNBA commitments could prevent her from joining the team.

"If she didn't come, I would be disappointed but that's okay," he said.

"At the July 9 meeting, though, I do want the best players. I think this year in the WNBA there are less European players."

Indeed, because of the Olympics, the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and EuroBasket Division A games, some international players have elected to miss this WNBA season.