(June 28, 2006) -- The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they selected Benetton Treviso forward Andrea Bargnani (AN-dre-a BARN-neon-ee) with the first overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. Bargnani is the first European-born player to be selected with the first pick in the NBA Draft.

Bargnani, 7-foot-0, 250 pounds, was an early entry candidate for the Draft. He began his career in 2002-03 with Stella Azzura Roma in Italy’s Serie B2 division. He signed with Benetton Treviso in 2004. He has played for the Italian Senior National Team, and has competed for his country on junior and under-20 national teams as well.

Bargnani was named the “Top European Young Player of the Year” and recently led Benetton to Italy’s Lega A championship, averaging 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds. He shot 46.5 per cent from the field, 44.0 per cent from three point land and 82.2 per cent at the foul line. He also contributed 1.5 blocks in his 29.3 minutes per game.

In his three seasons with Benetton at the Lega A level, Bargnani has averaged 10.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in 109 games. He has shot .569 per cent from the field (223-392) and .370 per cent (88-238) from three-point range. He has also played three seasons for Benetton in the Euroleague, where he has contributed 6.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 38 contests.

Bargnani averaged 12.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals in 47 games for Benetton in Lega A in 2005-06. He posted a season high of 25 points against Rome. He shot .578 per cent from the field and .369 per cent from three-point range, and led the Lega A in blocks with 63. In Euroleague competition, he contributed 10.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, while shooting .558 per cent from the floor and .434 from three-point land, in 18 games. He posted a season-high 20 points against Panathinaikos and Strasbourg.

In 2004-05, he averaged 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds in 28 Lega A games for Benetton. In the Euroleague, he averaged 3.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 18 contests. In 2003-04, Bargnani posted averages of 4.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 10 games in his first Lega A season with Benetton. He made eight appearances in Euroleague action, recording 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds an outing.

Bargnani was a member of Benetton when they faced the Raptors on October 20, 2003 in a preseason game at Air Canada Centre. He tallied 13 points, five rebounds, one steal and two blocks in 22 minutes in an 86-83 defeat to Toronto.