Spagnolo started playing basketball at the age of four and began his youth career with Aurora Brindisi. At age 12, he scored 78 points and 77 points in the semifinal and final of the regional under-14 championship, respectively.
At Adidas Next Generation Tournament Munich in January 2020, Spagnolo averaged 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, helping Real Madrid's under-18 team win the title.[1]
Professional career
Stella Azzurra (2017–2018)
At 13 years of age, Spagnolo moved to Rome to join Stella Azzurra.[2] He made his Serie B debut at age 14, becoming the youngest Italian to play at the senior level.[3]
Real Madrid (2018–2023)
On 2 May 2018, Spagnolo moved to Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid, where he became the first Italian to join the club's youth academy.[4]
On 28 July 2022, Spagnolo was sent on loan to Italian club Aquila Basket Trento.[7] In 13 EuroCup matches, he averaged 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 26 minutes per contest.
Alba Berlin (2023–present)
On 9 August 2023, Spagnolo signed a three-year contract with German club Alba Berlin.[8]
NBA draft rights
Spagnolo was drafted with the 50th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 2023, he appeared in the NBA Summer League with the Timberwolves, averaging 12.5 points and 3 assists per game.
Spagnolo averaged 16.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, three steals and 2.6 assists per game for Italy at the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship in Udine. He was named to the All-Star Five after helping his team earn the bronze medal.[9] On 20 February 2020, at age 17, Spagnolo made his senior debut for Italy, scoring three points in a win over Russia at the EuroBasket qualification stage. He became the third-youngest player to play for Italy's senior team.[10]