UNM Lobos sign Italian pro forward Federico Grani, offer scholarship to former La Cueva Bear
Dipping again into international waters, the UNM Lobos on Wednesday landed a commitment from 6-foot-9 Italian forward Federico Grani. The 23-year-old played professionally this past season for Moncada Energy Agrigento in the Italian Serie B league, averaging 7. 9 points, 6.
1 rebounds and 1. 3 blocks in 37 games this season and is now the 12 committed or signed player for the 2026-27 Lobo men's basketball season. “Next stop: Albuquerque” was his message posted on his Instagram page Wednesday morning along with a picture of him in a Lobos jersey, his name at the top and the word “Committed” across the bottom with a UNM Lobos logo on the image.
By Wednesday afternoon, the same graphic with one noticeable difference was posted on the UNM Lobo men's basketball social media pages. The difference? The word "Committed" was changed to "Signed.
" UNM and Grani are still working through just how long he will be allowed to play based on his previous experience at the professional level — where the college athletics system essentially isn't in place and turning pro, or playing for a professional club, is commonplace. Not all professional leagues, the NCAA has determined, automatically disqualify a player from retaining eligibility at a U. S.
university. It is the same process UNM went through over the past year for former Lobo starting forward Tomislav Buljan, who was also 23 and entering college for the first time after playing professionally in Croatia. He was initially granted just one season of playing eligibility, which UNM appealed, and won, getting Buljan an extra season to play.