By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
Andres Nocioni is one of the most accomplished players in the world. Caja Laboral’s forward has won almost everything in his career. He is a member of the illustrious Argentinian national team which had a great run the last decade in international level, he has been in the NBA, playing for Chicago, Sacramento and Philadelphia and he is a star in Euroleague. He has endured competition in the top level since 2001 and wherever he played he was the perfect teammate and a valuable asset!
In total he has won 9 medals with his national team from 1999 until today! Two in Olympics – the gold at Athens 2004 – one in a world championship and six in FIBA Americas competitions. It has been a great run and Nocioni narrates it to Eurohoops.
“We had great chemistry in that team. We played really well and we were friends. When you are friends with your teammates, that can of thing can be seen on the court. We played together, we tried to help each other, we tried to play really hard every time. So, I think it’s a great think for a national team. It was the best team I was part of. I am very proud of that team”.
What was the secret of a decade long success? According to Nocioni it was the relationships between the players! “The secret was that we are friends. We fought for each other. It was a team with low personality. We played really hard in Athens. We went to Beijing, we played also really well over there, also in Indianapolis. And always we had a low personality. We did a great job. The secret was trying to play for your teammate”.
And what would be the future of Argentina after the eventual retirement of the players who have been the core of the team for the last ten years? “It’s going to be tough for them to reach again the same goals. We are going to be ok, but I don’t know if we will have soon some kind of success in the Olympics, or whatever, like in the past. It’s going to be tough, because a new generation is coming, the situation right now is really well in Argentina and we have some great young guys. But it’s going to be touch to reach the same level of national team success, like in the past. It’s going to happen again some day, but maybe a little bit time has to pass and then all the good things will come”.
What is the best moment for him in the golden decade of Argentina? It’s hard to pick just one! “They are many! The first is the day we beat the American team in Indianapolis, the final in Athens, the game we won against Serbia with Manu Ginobili scoring the last shot in Athens. I don’t know. When we won the American cup in Mar Del Plata. The bronze in Beijing. There were a lot of moments because the team was always reaching its goals. Maybe the best was our run in Indianapolis. We lost the goal but the whole tournament was like a dream”.
What’s his opinion about NBA? “Well, it’s different. NBA is the NBA and European basketball is European basketball. I know some people say I like NBA basketball or the opposite. I like both of them! It’s basketball. Maybe it’s a little different kind of game, but I just play basketball. NBA is more individual game, with many one on one. In Europe it’s more a team game, the individual in not more important than the team, in the NBA maybe it is, so it is a little different”.
One of his close friends and also teammate is Pablo Prigioni, the 35 years old rookie of New York Knicks! Nocioni has some advice to give to him: “Pablo is unbelievable! 35 years old, the oldest rookie ever! Well my advice to him is to just enjoy it. Enjoy the moment, because for someone to reach the NBA is a huge goal. So It think that what happened with him is amazing. He reached the goal, being 35 years old. I say congrats to him, I am really happy, I am really proud, because he was working hard every day. And this is what happens, if you work”.