Australian wheelchair basketballer Jaylen Brown prepares for Italy

Brown, 18, said a two-week visit with the Rollers' wheelchair basketball program allowed him to meet his Amicacci Abruzzo teammates and explore the coastal town of Giulianova he'll call home for seven months.

The Emmanuel College student, who hopes to fly out to Europe in roughly a week's time, said the trip was the ideal way to establish a connection with his new club which falls under Europe's International Wheelchair Basketball Federation umbrella.

"It was for a Rollers' camp but I also got to play with my (Italian) team over there, it was like a little pre-season tournament," Brown told The Standard.

"It was really good and gave me a better view of what I am getting into and the lifestyle over there.

"There's obviously a language barrier there but they are really welcoming.

"There is one guy who speaks fluent English and he translates everything in the timeouts to me and another guy who is from Ireland."

Brown said the chance to visit Giulianova - three hours from Rome - was important.

"I compare it to Warrnambool really, it's on the coast," he said.

"It's an older town, there's a lot of older people there."

He will live with his Amicacci Abruzzo teammates, play games each weekend across the country and train twice a day when he returns for his maiden season.

"We'll be travelling around Italy for the first five months and then if we're lucky enough to get into Euro Cup we get to travel around Europe," Brown said.

"Playing in Europe, everyone says it's a massive jump compared to basketball in Australia so I am excited for it."

When the opportunity to play for Amicacci Abruzzo arose Brown felt it was the ideal fit.

"I was considering college (in America) and then Brad Ness, my under 23 coach - he's now the Rollers coach - got a message from the coach in Giulianova that they wanted a four-pointer and I am a four-pointer (on the wheelchair basketball classification)," he said.

"He asked me if I wanted to go over there."

Brown is following his mum Louise, who played in Australia's WNBL league, into professional basketball.

"Mum is a bit nervous but she did it when she was my age - she went to America so she knows what I am going to get," he said.

Brown, who will return to Australia during the Christmas break before jetting back to Europe, is also eyeing more opportunities with the national team.

He took part in a selection camp for the Asia Oceania Zone (AOZ) games - qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

"They have a lot of good players (to choose from) so it will be interesting," Brown said.

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