By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
It looked like Nicolò Melli’s marriage with Olimpia Milan, returning from the NBA three years ago, was about to last forever. Captain of the team and soul of the club, the 33-year-old power forward cemented his legacy as one of the red-and-white powerhouse’s icons.
However, a few days ago the former Fenerbahce and Bamberg player parted ways with Milan among uncertainties regarding both the reasons behind this decision and his future destination.
Talking to Flavio Venetti from Corriere della Sera after the press conference ahead of this year’s Trentino Basket Cup, involving the friendly game between Italy and Georgia, Nicolò Melli explained his position, revealing he didn’t want to change teams this summer.
“I wasn’t thinking about leaving Milan. I accept the legitimate decision by the club”, he first said. Asked if he would have stayed, he had no doubts. “Of course. But I wasn’t alone in this process. I feel bad that it’s being written and said that I was the one to leave Milan”, the Italian national team’s captain said.
Later on, he went into more detail. “After the Italian championship’s media day, I spoke with Ettore Messina and we talked specifically about the offer they made me in April, the only one I received during these months. I said: let’s meet up and face the issue. I played tons of years in Olimpia and I’m the captain: all this matters, doesn’t it?”, he ironically asked.
“Not only it’s important what you do, but how you do it. The meeting was positive and proactive”, he added. “Two or three days ago, I received a 45-second phone call in which Ettore [Messina] told me the club decided to part ways with me. I repeat: it’s a legitimate choice, but I wasn’t told if the reason behind it was a technical matter or something else”, he finally shared.
The future of the Italian national team’s captain, who’s preparing with Gianmarco Pozzecco’s squad for the upcoming FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico, is still unclear.
PHOTO CREDIT: EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
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