But apart from being dog-tired, the rookie Raptor and No. 1 draft pick is adapting well to life in the NBA. And the Raptors staff members who know him best say his ability to adjust to new situations and his cool demeanour under pressure were key traits that drew them to the young Italian on draft night.

``It's a brand new experience for him,'' Maurizio Gherardini, the Raptors assistant GM, said at camp Wednesday. ``Last night he was pretty tired. But I don't see (his adjustment) as a problem of any nature, I see him pretty comfortable with everything.

``I see him right now the way I've seen him every other summer, I don't see him in any different way.''

Gherardini came to Toronto from Benetton Treviso, the Italian powerhouse Bargnani led to the Lega A championship last season. He played three seasons at Benetton, earning Europe's Rising Star award in 2005-06, and garnering the nickname Il Mago _ The Magician.

While he held star status in Italy, he'll have plenty to prove in the NBA _ he was the No. 1 pick. While the 2006 draft didn't have the big names of past years, the 20-year-old Bargnani was instantly thrust in the harsh glare of the spotlight when he was taken first. Expectations will be high, comparisons to other draft picks inevitable.

``When you're the first pick, you have to average 20 (points) and 10 (rebounds) for people not to criticize you, but that's comes with the territory,'' said Raptors all-star forward Chris Bosh. ``He was drafted No. 1 and he's going to have to deal with it,''

But Bosh believes a winning season will go a long way in helping Bargnani answer the inevitable criticism.

``He just has to work hard and play good basketball. If he's the No. 1 pick on a good basketball team, I think that will hush the crowd a little bit,'' said Bosh.

GM Bryan Colangelo is preaching patience with the Raptors rookie, pointing out how the lanky seven-foot, 250-pound forward also has to adjust to a new country and a new language, not just a new league and different style of play.

``I really do believe we're going to let this thing happen naturally,'' Colangelo said. ``I'm one for instant gratification and I hope it works, but realistically, things take time in this business and you've got to take it one step at a time.''

For his part, Bargnani shrugged off any mention of pressure. When asked if he feels he has a lot to prove, he answered quickly with a simple ``No.''

``The one thing I'll say about Andrea, I think he deals with pressure well, that's something we looked at,'' said Colangelo. ``We looked at the background of course of all the draft prospects, and one thing he did have was he is somewhat oblivious to that sort of pressure. I saw it first-hand, watching him as a very young player compete in a very hostile environment over in Europe.''

Training camp is different than what Bargnani's used to though _ European pro camps can last as long as nine weeks, compared to the four weeks of an NBA camp.

``And most of the (European) teams go up to the mountains in very tiny little places just to be away from everything, get the best possible air, and basically work on conditioning,'' said Gherardini.

Bargnani took the summer off to rest up for camp, rather than play for Italy at the world championships.

``A lot of people didn't understand why I didn't try, I was very sad to not be on the national team,'' said Bargnani.

But the break did him good.

``After he got his legs under him (the past few days), he was fine,'' said Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell. ``He had a lot more spring to him, he was dunking the basketball, he was playing more like he played when we went to Europe and watched him practise and play. He needed that time off, he really needed it.''

Bargnani also has the language barrier to overcome _ although head coach Sam Mitchell has bristled at questions this week at camp about the European players on the team. Spaniards Jose Calderon and Jorge Garbajosa also struggle with English.

``Why does everybody have to break everything up to culture differences?'' Mitchell said. ``We're a basketball team and they are basketball players. I don't see these guys as being from different parts of the world. They're basketball players. The world has shrunk.''

Gherardini help Bargnani out.

``What they need to pick up quickly is the slang part of it,'' said Gherardini. ``That's why I always make sure, once everything has been said and discussed, I want to make sure everything is understood.''

Gherardini praised Bargnani's teammates for helping him adjust.

``The fact there are other international players around, the fact that this is a great group of guys, I think are helping his adjustment in a very, very nice way,'' said Gherardini.

Bargnani agreed.

``My teammates are very good persons, they help me a lot on the court and sometimes I don't understand what the coach is saying, they try to translate,'' he said.

The rookie has yet to look the part of an NBA player. He went so far as to purchase a black Armani suit for draft night, but the youngster who will earn US$4.5 million this season doesn't wear the huge diamond earrings seen around the league _ he doesn't even have his ears pierced. He's renting his condo in Toronto and a sponsor provided his car.

While the Raptors' first pre-season game at home is Oct. 11 against Boston, it won't mark Bargnani's first appearance at the Air Canada Centre. Two years ago, when the Raptors hosted Benetton Treviso in an exhibition matchup, he had an impressive 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes as an 18-year-old. The Raptors edged the Italian squad 86-83.