For Niccolò Moretti, from Italy, basketball has never been just an extracurricular activity, but an important part of his life. Born into a basketball family, he started playing the sport at the age of four. His father, Paolo Moretti, was a professional Italian basketball player who became a coach after retiring; his older brother, Davide Moretti, six years his senior, played for Texas Tech University and led the team to the NCAA Men's National Championship in 2019.
Growing up watching his father coach and his brother grow on the court, Niccolò developed a longing for American college basketball at a young age. Especially after his brother successfully made it to the NCAA, he became even more certain that he also hoped to one day go to the United States, accept higher-level competition, and forge his own basketball path.
However, leaving familiar Italy was not an easy decision. Being away from his parents, siblings, friends, and his former team meant he had to readjust to a different language, culture, and lifestyle. Even with the support of his basketball family, he still had to face the uncertainties of developing his career in the United States alone.
During high school, Niccolò chose to attend DME ACADEMY in Daytona Beach, Florida. This experience not only exposed him to more intense basketball training but also allowed him to find support like family in a foreign land, gradually building the ability and confidence needed to enter NCAA Division I.
From Italy to Florida, embarking on a different basketball life
Upon his first visit to DME ACADEMY, Niccolò was deeply impressed by the academy's training facilities and living environment. The well-equipped basketball courts, the student dormitories located near the training facilities, and the daily schedule that combined academics and sports gave him a glimpse into the student-athlete life that was completely different from that in Italy.
At DME, basketball is no longer just after-school training; it's integrated into academics, daily life, and self-management. The academy's daily schedule includes approximately four hours of school classes and four hours of training and practice, allowing students to dedicate ample time to improving their athletic abilities while maintaining their academic focus.
For Niccolò, this is exactly the kind of life he's always dreamed of. Living so close to the arena gives him more opportunities to schedule extra training sessions and reduces the time he needs to travel between different venues. From individual skills and team tactics to physical training, basketball has gradually become the core of his daily life.
More importantly, DME provided him with a competitive environment he had never experienced before. Training with players from different countries with different playing styles forced him to adapt to the faster pace, more intense physical contact, and more direct competition of American basketball. These changes made him realize that to establish himself in the NCAA, in addition to technical ability, he also needed sufficient confidence, physical condition, and mental preparation.
Coach Matt is not just a coach, but also his family in the United States.
For young international students, the biggest challenge of leaving home is sometimes not the opponents on the court, but how to find a sense of belonging in an unfamiliar environment.
At DME ACADEMY, Niccolò developed a deep relationship with coach Matt. From adjusting to school life to daily training, team life, and college recruitment, Matt was always there to guide and support him. Niccolò described his coach as his father in America, because Matt cared not only about his skills but also about his life and growth in the United States.
This relationship holds special significance for Niccolò. Growing up in a basketball family, he was always influenced by his father and brother, and when he came to the United States alone, the DME coaching staff became a new source of support for him. Matt helped him establish a training direction, encouraged him to continuously improve his skills, and accompanied him as he gradually approached his goal of entering American college basketball.
Besides his coaches, the teachers and teammates at DME also helped him gradually settle down. Italian is Niccolò's native language, and when he first arrived in the United States, he had to overcome the barrier of English communication. But at DME, with its diverse international student background, he discovered that many players from Europe had gone through the same adaptation process. The school's acceptance and support for international students meant that language was no longer a major obstacle preventing him from pursuing his dreams.
On and off the court, he gradually built new friendships and began to see DME as his second home in the United States. This sense of security allowed him to focus more on basketball and his studies, without having to face all the challenges alone.
From the very first game, learn to face the high intensity of competition from the United States.
After joining the DME team, Niccolò quickly faced a real test. In his first game representing the team, they faced a formidable opponent. The intensity, speed, and physicality of the games played by a top American high school team gave him a competitive atmosphere completely different from what he had experienced in Italy.
Before the game, he was inevitably nervous, but once he stepped onto the court, he gradually found his rhythm and showcased his abilities in the high-intensity competition. This experience taught him that even against top-tier high school teams across the country, with proper preparation, there is still a chance to demonstrate one's strength.
As the season progressed, the team gradually developed chemistry, and Niccolò built confidence with each match. One of the most unforgettable moments for him was when the team defeated a formidable opponent. That victory greatly inspired all the players and gave him a sense of accomplishment from the collective effort of the team. Facing a team initially considered insurmountable, they not only won the game but also proved their ability to compete with high-level opponents.
That season, the DME team achieved a record of 9 wins and 1 loss, ranking 11th nationally in the competitive system Niccolò was involved in at the time. This experience was not only a gain in terms of results, but also taught him how to remain calm in a more intense environment, trust his teammates, and make the right judgments in critical moments.
For a player who had just arrived in the United States from Europe, these game experiences were crucial preparation for transitioning into the NCAA. By playing against teams with different styles, Niccolò gradually adapted to the competitive nature of American basketball and built stronger confidence on the court.
DME training and competitions open up recruitment opportunities for American universities.
For many international student-athletes, attending an American high school is not just about improving their skills, but more importantly, about demonstrating their abilities and potential to American college coaches through training and competition.
At DME ACADEMY, Niccolò not only gained a stable training environment but also began to be exposed to the recruitment system of American college basketball. Through continuous participation in high-level games, accumulating practical experience, and with the guidance and assistance of the coaching staff, he gradually gained the attention of NCAA college coaches.
During high school, he received basketball scholarship offers from Bryant University, Mount St. Mary's University, and Northern Kentucky University. For a young player who left Italy to pursue his dreams in the United States, receiving a call from a college coach for the first time was an unforgettable moment. These offers were not only an affirmation of his basketball abilities, but also represented that his seemingly distant dream of attending an American university was beginning to become real and tangible.
However, receiving a college invitation is not Niccolò's ultimate goal. He hopes to continue challenging himself at a higher level and prove his worth in his future college basketball career. Therefore, he did not stop working hard because of the recruitment opportunity, but continued to strengthen his skills, physical condition, and understanding of the game, preparing for the next stage.
His experience at DME gave him a deeper understanding that competition in American college basketball extends beyond the recruitment phase. Even with a scholarship, players must continue to fight for playing time, adapt to coaching demands, and find their place in a highly competitive team environment after entering college. The training discipline, self-management, and game experience accumulated during high school often determine whether a player can smoothly transition to the next stage.
From DME ACADEMY to Illinois, stepping onto the NCAA Division I stage
In January 2023, Niccolò officially joined the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign men's basketball team, realizing his childhood dream of playing in NCAA Division I.
Illinois' Big Ten Conference is one of the most competitive college basketball conferences in the United States. Joining such a team, representing Niccolò, who started his career in Italian youth basketball, underwent DME ACADEMY high school training and adapted to American basketball, finally stepping onto the college stage he had long pursued.
In the 2023–24 season, he officially represented Illinois and participated in the NCAA National Championship. The team ultimately made it to the Elite Eight, giving him the opportunity to compete at the highest level of national competition early in his college basketball career.
In 2024, he transferred to Florida Atlantic University to seek more playing opportunities and continue to hone his playmaking and teamwork skills. With increasing college basketball experience, he gradually accumulated more consistent playing time, continuing his development path in the United States.
Niccolò's next destination is Lamar University for the 2026–27 season. He continues to seek new challenges within the NCAA system and expand his basketball experience through different teams and competitive environments.
From watching his brother compete on the NCAA court as a child to finally wearing an American college jersey himself, Niccolò has gradually achieved the goal he set when he left Italy. Throughout this journey, the training environment, coaching support, and high school game experience provided by DME ACADEMY have become crucial foundations for his adaptation to American basketball.
More important than getting into university is building the ability for continuous growth.
Niccolò's story showcases the multiple challenges international student athletes face during high school. Beyond basketball skills and physical training, he must learn to live in an unfamiliar cultural environment, adapt to new learning methods, and build relationships with teammates from diverse backgrounds.
At DME ACADEMY, he gradually understood the commitment required to become a high-level student-athlete. The daily coursework and training schedule, the competition with high-intensity opponents, the coaching staff's demands on individual performance, and the discipline established by team life all allowed him to experience the lifestyle of American student-athletes before entering college.
For Niccolò, pursuing higher levels of basketball dreams requires a genuine love for training, a willingness to invest time, and a readiness to accept challenges. Spending every day in the gym, working hard with teammates, and not easily backing down in the face of difficulties are all indispensable parts of this journey.
He gradually came to understand that talent and passion are just the starting point; what truly propels a player forward is long-term self-discipline and hard work. For international players, finding a suitable training and living environment during high school will help them adapt and develop in college.
Find another home at DME, and find your future there.
Looking back on his journey from Italy to the United States, Niccolò's most profound gains were not only the improvement in his basketball skills, but also the ability to build an independent life far from home, and finding people who were willing to believe in and support him.
Coach Matt's guidance and support provided him with family-like support in the United States; his teachers and teammates at DME helped him overcome language and cultural differences and gradually integrate into his new life. The comprehensive training facilities, the daily schedule that balanced his studies and basketball, and the opportunity to compete with top high school teams across the United States allowed him to accumulate important practical experience and mental preparation before entering the NCAA.
From his father's professional basketball career to his brother's NCAA journey at Texas Tech, Niccolò grew up under the influence of his family. But when he chose to go to DME ACADEMY, he also began to forge a path that truly belonged to him.
The Italian boy, who once only watched his older brother play on American college basketball courts, has now realized his dream of entering NCAA Division I and continues to strive for progress in the American college basketball system.
For Niccolò, DME ACADEMY was more than just a school that provided basketball training; it was a crucial starting point for him to rebuild his life, build confidence, and pursue his dreams after leaving his hometown. Here, he learned how to become a more mature student-athlete and gradually came to believe that he was capable of competing on a larger stage.
"I love challenges, which is why I came here. Watching my brother achieve his goals, I am now realizing my own dreams."
From Italy to Florida, and then to the NCAA basketball stage, Niccolò Moretti's journey of growth continues. The training discipline, team spirit, and pursuit of improvement established by DME ACADEMY will continue to guide him as he faces every challenge in the future.
