EXCLUSIVE: Former Nets Center Andrea Bargnani Talks NBA Career, New Ventures

Now 39 years old, basketball has shaped his global view. While he considers Toronto a 'second home', the game has rapidly expanded from when he first entered the league. At that time, it seemed like just having a franchise in Canada was incredible, but now people across the world are invested in the league he once thrived in.

"I feel very lucky in such an organization like the NBA," Bargnani told Draft Digest. "The borders of the NBA are so wide. The league is a school, a university.

"I feel very, very lucky to have been part of that for 10 years. And I'm still part of that because I'm an NBA ambassador, I'm still in touch with the NBA world with the NBA Players Association [NBPA]."

The Italian center started his career with the Raptors and had multiple seasons in which he was one of the best in his position in the entire league. His peak came in 2011, averaging 21.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.

Bargnani's ties to the Nets go back to before he put on a Brooklyn jersey. He made his debut on November 1, 2006, against former Toronto icon Vince Carter alongside Jason Kidd (who played for the New Jersey Nets at the time). Bargnani says that he never had a 'Welcome to the NBA' moment, but that was the only time he was nervous going into a game.

"A 'Welcome' moment? No, not really. But I remember my first game was actually in New Jersey against J-Kidd [Jason Kidd] and Vince Carter," Bargnani said. "So I was very excited, also very scared because it was the first time I was seeing Vince Carter live.

"I always used to see him through the posters in my room. So it was very frightening in the first game. But it all ended after the first game. From the second game [and so on], you start to see everyone just as an opponent and not as your childhood idol."

Bargnani sustained injuries throughout his career that held him back. In Brooklyn, with his final NBA team, the then-30-year-old had multiple 20-point performances, but he knew his time in the league was coming to an end before he got there. From there, it was onto the business world, where he has been thriving once again.

"When I started to play with the Knicks," Bargnani said. "In the two years with the Knicks and the year with the Nets, I missed more games than I played. I slowly started to realize that it may be better to do something else. It was becoming very frustrating. I wasn't able to play 10 straight games anymore.

"I also had other interests that were growing, business-wise, so I decided to move forward."

Nowadays, while professional athletes are getting paid more, it's more uncommon to see players who aren't involved in the industry off of court. For Bargnani, it has taught him a lot.

"I think it's very important," Bargnani said. "Not so much for the money, but as a human being. Now, once you sign, it's for $70, $80, $100 million contracts. You need to be passionate about something; you can't just sit on the couch after playing and wait to die. You need to be interested in something, study something."

The former veteran has certainly taken advantage of his post-playing career, recently becoming a shareholder and ambassador for the basketball app, Pick-Roll. The latest basketball phenomenon allows players to search for courts across the globe, with other features such as global rankings and in-season challenges.

"What first drew my attention is the fact that it meets the most basic needs of every basketball player," Bargnani said. "Which is finding the nearest playground, finding friends to play basketball. It's a very simple need.

"This is something I'm familiar with. I'm familiar with the private equity world and the venture capital world. This is a new adventure, I'm very excited about it, but business-wise, this is not something I'm new to."

While the business world was something he got into before he knew it was time to leave the court, there was definitely a transition from pro sports to the business world. However, in many ways, the mentality hasn't changed at all. Bargnani mentioned many similarities between business and basketball.

"Are there any similarities? Yes, of course. The way you have to prepare, the way you have to carry yourself, especially on the days you are not feeling great.

"I think sports are a great school for everything in life and the world."

Pick-Roll is already helping many people around the globe. The app has over 50,000 downloads on Google Play, captivating pickup basketball fans who are just entering the game or simply need a friend to hit the courts with. In one day, an overwhelming 132 courts were added independently via the internal management system, allowing players even more access to basketball.

Bargnani has had success in many ventures, but his latest with Pick-Roll could be his most exciting after a 10-year NBA career. The former Brooklyn Net is helping pave the way for the next generation of streetballers and pickup players through the Pick-Roll app.