Niccolò Melli, big man and star of Olimpia Milano, was recently a guest of Box To Box.
Among the many topics covered, an interesting comparison between the NBA and Euroleague, and an anecdote about his move from the Pelicans to the Mavs in his second and final season in America.
“The trade deadline was about to expire, I was hoping to be sold because I wasn’t playing, at 2.05 my agent called me and said: “Go to San Antonio”. I said to myself ‘ok, perfect, the Spurs also have a history with European players… But then he calls me back: “well Nick, go to Dallas”. Wait a minute, like Dallas? Practically there was supposed to be a three-way exchange which then didn’t happen…
…In the end there were only Dallas and the Pelicans left, who must have thought ‘Okay, come on, let’s make this trade’ and basically exchanged two players who never played in Dallas for two players who never played in New Orleans….
“Did I feel bad about leaving the NBA? No, but I would have liked to have had a little more chance the second year, also because I had played well the first year…”.