After playing for a few years in the United States with the Golden State Warriors, the point guard returned to Italy proving that he can be the best player in the championship.
The last three seasons of the Italian basketball championship have been dominated by Olimpia Milano, a club that holds the record for victories in the top championship and which aims every year to win both in Italy and in Europe (a feat that an Italian club has not achieved since 2001, when Cantù wins).
The 2024/2025 season However, it didn’t start in the best way for Armani’s team which is currently in fourth place and has recently taken a significant beating in Trento (-34). Coach Messina’s team is struggling to find its game and the balance that allowed it to beat Bologna in the playoff final last season, also due to the many injuries.
The Lombard team’s infirmary recently welcomed Josh Nebo, but this start of the season has also seen the additions of Dimitrijevic, Shields, McCormack and Diop. Absences are anything but an excuse and the last Euroleague match demonstrated itduring which Milan won the home match against the reigning champions Real Madrid thanks to a great performance from the returning Dimitrijevic.
Olimpia Milano welcomes Niccolo Mannion, the Italian charges the atmosphere: “I aim to win as much as possible”
The difficulties at the beginning of the season convinced the Milan management that there was a need for a quality addition to improve the rotations and have an extra weapon for the rest of the season. To a roster that already appears on paper as the best in Serie AOlimpia recently added Niccolò Mannion, a talent who certainly needs no introduction and a player who has the best scoring average and the best scoring average of this season’s start.
At this start of the season the former Golden State point guard maintained an average of 26.3 points per match with the Varese shirt, obtaining the title of provisional top scorer in Serie A as well as the title of MVP in all the matches played so far. Olimpia’s interest had been known for weeks and the negotiations went on for a long time, with Varese not entirely convinced by the financial offer presented. The stalemate was resolved by the 300 thousand euro buyout exercised by Mannion to terminate the contract with Varese.
Mannion is therefore the new point guard for Milan and has already made his debut with the new shirt in the Euroleague against Real Madrid, a match in which he scored 11 points and 5 assists to which are added many flashes and visionary passes capable of igniting Olimpia’s attack and creating unpredictability in the game that cannot appear in the scoreboards.
In this first outing, the 23-year-old from Siena confirmed with facts what was declared after the agreement reached: “I am proud and deeply motivated to be part of such a prestigious company and with its history. My intention is to make all the energy I have available to staff and teammates to achieve the best results together with them. I will work hard every day, aiming to win as much as possible in all competitions. My desire is to demonstrate that I am a player capable of this level, but, even more, I want to contribute to the club’s successes.”
