By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nico Mannion has been ruled out for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
The Italian Basketball Federation, FIP, confirmed his absence Monday.
“This summer, Nico Mannion will not be part of the team,” echoed Gianmarco Pozzecco, the head coach of the Italy senior national team.
“It was a tough decision, but mutual,” he added, “Over the last two years, Nico has been the key player for the national team, displaying a strong bond to the Azzurri and professionalism. However, this tested his physical condition. We agreed that it would be better to not include him in the roster for the World Cup.”
Mannion, 22, representing his country extended to competing in the winter international windows of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, besides the offseason Qualifiers and last summer’s 2022 FIBA EuroBasket. Determined and loyal to the Azzurri, he actually closely combined Virtus Segafredo Bologna games with the national team.
Among the 15 remaining players, Utah Jazz’s Simone Fontecchio will get a delayed start to the training camp on Friday. Marco Spissu, Stefano Tonut, Nicolo Melli, Giampaolo Ricci, Matteo Spagnolo, Guglielmo Caruso, Achille Polonara, Mouhamet Diouf, Riccardo Visconti, Luca Severini, Gabriele Procida, Tomas Woldetensae, Alessandro Pajola, and Luigi Datome instead gathered at Folgaria today, Monday.
Upcoming preparation games will start from the Trentino Cup in BLM Group Arena with the participation of Turkey, China, and Cape Verde on 4-5 August. On to the Aegean Acropolis Tournament, Italy’s camp will move to Athens, before returning home and from there traveling to Asia. Pozzecco’s side will be building up for Group A of the preliminary round with Angola, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines listed as first-round opponents in the Philippines.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL