The 33-year-old will be admitted to hospital on Tuesday, September 16
Achille Polonara reflects on his Virtus exit, leukemia diagnosis: ‘My dream is to try to play again’
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The last couple of years have been incredibly difficult for Achille Polonara.
Virtus Bologna and EuroLeague fans watched on as Polonara beat testicular cancer just two years ago, having undergone surgery in October 2023 and returned to the court in mid-December of that same year, but this past June saw him diagnosed with myeloid leukemia. Another big fight lies ahead for the Italian forward.
Speaking in an interview with Corriere di Bologna, Polonara offered some positive news on his current condition and explained why he left Virtus on good terms this summer.
“I'm fine. I spent the weekend with my children because I won't be able to see them for a while and they'll be staying with their grandparents,” he said. “On Monday, September 15 I'll have some tests for the bone marrow transplant, then on Tuesday I'll be admitted to hospital.”
Polonara revealed that a donor has been found and that a date for the transplant has already been set.
“Yes, it's an American girl who is 90% compatible. I was lucky, there were two donors who were 90% compatible, including a German guy, but they opted for her because they were able to get in touch with her right away,” he explained. “After I'm admitted tomorrow, I'll have to undergo a course of chemotherapy that will last 5-6 days. The transplant should take place around September 23-24.”
One of the heartwarming elements of Polonara’s fight against cancer has been the way in which the basketball community has come together to show their support for him, while his wife, Erika, has been a constant presence throughout the process.
“There have been tough times, but the affection shown by so many people has helped me to stay positive and look ahead with optimism,” he said. “I've received lots of messages and phone calls, from the world of basketball and beyond, and my wife and children have given me the strength to look ahead with positivity.
“[Erika] chose to stay by my side even though the children had to stay with their grandparents and we both missed them. ‘You need me, they're still young,’ she told me.”
Polonara has also been able to count on his close friend and former teammate Marco Belinelli, as well as Italian national team head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco and his ex-teammates with the Azzurri, who called him several times during the recent EuroBasket 2025 tournament as they looked to bring him along for the journey.
“Belinelli has been very close to me; we've been in touch every day,” he said. “Then my teammates on the national team and Pozzecco have shown me enormous affection with their calls before games. Half an hour before an important game, you don't expect a call from the locker room.”
Some fans at EuroBasket 2025 also brought along messages to show their affection for Polonara, with one Greek fan having a banner dedicated to the 33-year-old.
“Even though I've never played there, the Greek people have been very kind to me on social media,” he said. “They've supported me a lot and I really appreciate it.”
With Polonara’s contract at Virtus expiring in the summer of 2025, his most recent cancer diagnosis meant his future was up in the air and it was eventually decided upon that the two should part ways. As such, he has penned a three-year deal to return to Sassari, where he played from 2017 until 2019, his final step before making his EuroLeague debut.
"I accepted Virtus's decision and appreciated their consistency, because I wasn't part of their plans regardless of my illness,” he said. “Honestly, I would have felt offended if they had re-signed me just to make a nice gesture because I have leukemia. I preferred Sassari's offer because my dream is to try to play again. If I had accepted a role as a scout, it would have meant quitting, but this way I have the goal of passing the medical exams and returning to the court."
Polonara was unable to be with his Virtus teammates as they went on to lift the Italian League championship for the first time since 2020-21, with his illness being discovered during the Italian League Finals, but Belinelli, Toko Shengelia and Alessandro Pajola made sure to bring the trophy to the hospital so that he could be a part of the celebrations.
"The best memory of the final is when the whole team and staff came to my house once they found out about my illness,” he remembered. “I wanted to hug them one by one, but it wasn't possible. I waited for those games anxiously as if I had to play myself. I was pumped and excited. After the Game 3 victory in Brescia, there was a video call from Shengelia from the court, then celebrations with the fans, and the next day the trophy in the hospital. Beautiful moments."
It seems Polonara’s EuroLeague journey has come to an end after six seasons, but the EuroLeague family will never leave his side. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery and that we see you on the court soon, Achille.