Fontecchio’s Effort, Versatility a Key Ingredient in Utah’s Strong Push

The undrafted journeyman of European basketball has landed a starting NBA gig with his energy and shooting. (Rick Egan, The Salt Lake Tribune)

In big wins and big losses alike, Simone Fontecchio has been a bright spot in many recent box scores and on the court. With the Jazz’s track record of developing unheralded players, the undrafted small forward from Italy appears to be next in line as a success story.

Youth Basketball of Ups and Downs

Born on Dec. 9, 1995 in Pescara, Italy, Fontecchio’s basketball journey began to gain prominence in his homeland before catching the attention of the NBA scouts.

In the early 2010s, Fontecchio played in tournaments all around the world, from the Jordan Brand Classic in Italy to the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament in Rome. At just 17 years old, he was already on his way toward a professional career. In 2013, he signed a 5-year pro contract with Virtus Bologna, as his parents had to be present at the signing since he was still a minor. Two years later, he was voted the Best Player Under 22 in the Lega Basket Serie A awards. It was then that Fontecchio declared for the NBA draft, attending workouts with teams like the Boston Celtics. When it was likely he wouldn’t be taken, he withdrew his name. 

As his hopes for the NBA seemingly faded, so did his success in the Europe leagues over the next several seasons. He hopped around different teams, playing for Olimpia Milano, Reggio Emilia, Alba Berlin, and Baskonia as his points per game averages fluctuated each season and never topped more than 10 a game. The consistent upheaval seemed to play a role for the journeyman as he played for four teams in three years, but also in three different countries: Italy, Germany and Spain.

Yet, known for his versatility on the court, Fontecchio was a skilled prospect who possessed a unique combination of scoring ability, court vision, and defensive prowess. Playing for top European clubs, he consistently demonstrated his ability to compete at the highest level. This did catch the eye of NBA scouts, who recognized his potential as a valuable asset to any team.

Utah Jazz Takes A Chance

So, in July 2022, the Utah Jazz signed the forward to a tw0-year deal worth $6.25 million, all of it guaranteed money. 

Like his teenage basketball career, the dividends were uneven. Last season, he played in 52 games (started six) with 15 minutes a game. As a supposed shooter, his deep shot wasn’t too hot as he went 33% from deep on the season and averaged six points a game. 

Yet, there were highlights, especially late in the season. He went off for 23 points against the Heat and then added 26 a few games later against the Bucks. It’s also hard to forget his 18-point night at home against the Warriors which included the game-winning dunk after the team stole an inbounds pass, pushed the pace, and brought home the the winning basket with just 1.4 seconds remaining. Was there something in #16? 

Crashing the Starting Lineup

After a 7-16 Jazz start to the 2023-24 season, coach Will Hardy knew change was needed. The starting lineup wasn’t producing on offense or defense, nor was the energy, heart, and hustle displayed regularly. Hardy notably shifted Collin Sexton to the starting point guard position, but in a less heralded adjustment, he moved Fontechhio back into the starting five after Christmas.

Walker Kessler was playing center, just like last year, but had missed a jump while dealing with an elbow injury and maybe some  Team USA summer hangover as he wasn’t the force in the paint the Jazz needed. The Jazz had also traded for John Collins from Atlanta, whose fit at power forward wasn’t working, either. All-Star Lauri Markkanen was in the small forward position, playing fine, but it wasn’t until he slid to power forward that the Jazz offense clicked. This moved Collins to center, allowing more space, shooting, and small ball to start games and provide runs of explosive offense for the Jazz, something they hadn’t had before. With a hole at small forward, Fontechhio was the next man up, and man, he stepped up. 

As you may remember, the Jazz went 15-4 before this recent three-game skid for a fun stretch of basketball in December and January. Fontecchio was a key cog in that. While his per-game averages might not jump off the page, he is still averaging nine points a game. What’s most impressive, however, is his 40% marksman ability from beyond the arc. In Tuesday’s loss to the Pelicans, for example, he put up eight shots from deep and connected on five. That’s not uncommon for him.

His specialty is the three, and the Jazz needed a spot-up guy to just nail a bucket. This season, 66% of his shots and 62% of his points come from 3-point range. Nearly all of his three shots, 98% to be exact, are assisted. He is, almost literally, the marksman the Jazz design shots for and look for on the perimeter. In today’s NBA, that player is indispensable. 

What’s impressed me this year, though, is his ability to not just be a 3-point threat. Throughout the Jazz’s winning surge, it wasn’t uncommon to see Fontechhio put the ball on the floor and make plays. He has a little bit of bully ball in his pocket off the dribble, where he can dribble a few, Eurostep, or put his shoulder into the defense for a tough runner and lay-ins. He is one of those guys that from the YMCA who might not look explosive but is crafty and experienced with his set of moves. His overall offensive package, on display nearly nightly this year, is developing to increase his value in the NBA. 

And, of, course, he also brings the D side of 3-and-D. Fontecchio has shown great strides as a defender this year as well. Like development projects before him, like Joe Ingles and Royce O’Neale, Fontecchio is smart with his feet and his body to cover guys who may have more athleticism and skill than he. Like Ingles and O’Neale, he also visibly plays with heart. Perhaps that’s not a counting stat, but it’s the effort and doggedness that has endeared him to fans, and Hardy. Check out these sound bites: 

• “He’s a warrior,” Hardy said of Fontecchio after a narrow win over New Orleans in November. “He’s got a fat lip and a lump on his head. And he just keeps sticking his face in there and defending. He looks like he’s been in a boxing match. His effort rubs off on everybody.”
• “He’s a warrior,” Hardy said again a month later. “His intensity day-to-day, his competitiveness on every possession is something that we are looking for in our program. I think Simone is a good representation of who we want to be. … Somebody that is maximizing everything he’s got every single night. He doesn’t make excuses, and is willing to just compete no matter what the scenario is.”
• In a recent post-game interview with the media after a win, Hardy had high praise for Fonteccio. “His role is clearly different now than it was when he first got here. He’s made it hard to not play him. He does dirty work for us, he makes winning plays for us throughout the game. He’s playing really solid basketball for us right now,” he said.
• “He is a good shooter, but he’s not a shooter,” Hardy said in December. “He cuts, he runs, he guards, he’s athletic. … He’s not just catch-and-shoot. He’s not necessarily changing our opinion internally of him, but he may be changing a lot of people’s opinions of him externally in terms of the type of player he is. … It’s been great for everybody to see what we’ve seen every day that he’s been here.”

Restricted Free Agency

The five-man lineup that has played the most minutes together (152:55) has Simone in it and is a +5. The two lineups with the highest point differential (+28 and +18) have Simone in it at the small forward spot as well. The dude makes it click and is an integral part of the starting lineup moving forward this season. 

Afterwards? Well, that’s tricky. 

Fontechhio will hit the 2024 offseason as a restricted free agent, and someone coveted across the league as a glue guy who plays hard, makes shots, and can hold his own defensively. After working his way into the NBA, a rotation spot, and now a starter, could he be in line for a payday? It seems likely he would qualify for a raise on his current $3 million/year salary. While sharing similar stories, they are different players and bodies, but for the sake of comparison, Joe Ingles signed for $11 million per season last summer with the Orlando Magic and Royce O’Neale signed for $9.5 million a year with the Jazz before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets. The Jazz will have cap space next offseason, is matching for $10 million annually a good bet? (Note: the Jazz can sign him for up to the Early Bird exception of $12-13 million even if they’re over the cap.)

Jazz Twitter also wonders if his recent success and expiring contract would be worth dangling in trade talks before the February deadline. Is an upgrade available that would make the Jazz more competitive for now and later? Simone has appeared in recent trade machine proposals involving big names like Kyle Kuzma and Mikal Bridges. 

Regardless, it’s easy to root for a guy who plays the right way and worked hard to get to his spot today. As he stepped onto the NBA stage, now center stage as a starter on a surging, young Jazz squad, Fontecchio continues to showcase his skills, adapting to the fast-paced, shoot and space, and demanding 3-and-D nature of the league. His dedication to improving his game and contributing to his team’s success quickly earned him respect among his peers and fans alike. If you need evidence, just hop onto the comment section of Instagram or Twitter and pick your favorite emoji connected to his name: 🇮🇹🤌🍝