Jeff Taylor has been covering European basketball since 1997, when he first worked on the television program SLAM. He has been a basketball writer and broadcaster since that time, traveling the continent and covering the game in depth for FIBA Europe since its launch in 2003.

With forthcoming qualifying games against Latvia, Israel, Finland and a newly-promoted Montenegro that fully expects to be at the EuroBasket in Lithuania next year, Italy are going all out to make sure their key players are with them this year.

For the Azzurri, the presence of Toronto Raptors duo Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli, and a fit-again Danilo Gallinari of the New York Knicks, is deemed a must if they are to rejoin the elite in Europe after missing out on the Final Round last year in Poland.

Italy's most important player on the court in years past, Dino Meneghin, is now its most important off it as the president of the federation.

He has flown to the United States to meet with the star trio and their clubs.

"I want to meet the guys and with my presence and that of the federation to show them our support because since the summer, we have only been able to talk on the telephone," Meneghin said in an official FIP statement.

"I would like them to know that their availability for next summer will be necessary, especially at such a delicate moment for Azzurri basketball."

Italy recently appointed Simone Pianigiani, the Montepaschi Siena boss, as the new coach of the national team.

He replaced Carlo Recalcati, a respected figure in the Italian game first as a player and for many years since as a coach.

Recalcati was at the national team helm for eight years.

"We have recently changed coach and we will play for a EuroBasket place and looking further ahead, to the 2012 Olympics," Meneghin said.

"Their talent is important to us and I will tell them that our basketball movement expects their presence."

At EuroBasket 2007, Recalcati had wanted the veterans to pass the baton to Bargnani and Belinelli but it did not go well.

It didn't help that Gallinari's injury woes prevented him from joining the team and there were, by all accounts, two camps in the dressing room - the young and old.

Italy fans have had very little to cheer about since.

Belinelli, Bargnani and Gallinari all missed the EuroBasket 2009 Division A campaign, while Belinelli and Bargnani played in the Additional Qualifying Round last summer.

Since having a back operation last year, Gallinari has been playing big minutes with the Knicks, where he is coached by former Benetton Treviso boss Mike D'Antoni.

The 21-year-old is averaging 14.6 points and 4.8 rebounds for New York and gets an average of just under 32 minutes per game.

Meneghin will not be alone in New York.

"I will have with me (Italian league coaching great) Dan Peterson and Mike D'Antoni as well as the owners of New York," Meneghin revealed.

"I hope I can talk to both franchises (Toronto and New York) to understand what their intentions are with respect to the possibility of allowing the players to join the Italian national team for the summer events."

There is a very small margin between success and failure for Italy this summer.

Meneghin and everyone else in Azzurri land will be keeping their fingers cross that all three players will play for the national team this year.