Marcelo Nicola
Encyclopedia
Marcelo Patricio Nicola Virginio (born May 12, 1971 in Rafaela
, Santa Fe
) is a retired Argentine
-Italian
professional basketball
player. A very versatile power forward
, he was a regular member of the Argentine national basketball team
, and competed many years in the Euroleague
.
, but remained in Europe and won the Saporta Cup
in 1996 with TAU Cerámica
, the team in which he made his debut in the Spanish ACB League. He played his best basketball for Benetton Treviso
, with which he lifted another Saporta Cup
trophy in 1999, and he was selected to the All-Euroleague Second Team for the Euroleague 2001-02
season. He also made it to the Euroleague 2002-03
final game.
. With Argentina's senior men's national team, he played at the 1994 FIBA World Championship
, the 1996 Olympics
, and the 1998 FIBA World Championship
.
Rafaela
Rafaela is a city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, about 96 km from the provincial capital. It is the head town of the Castellanos Department. It has a population of 99,150 per the ....
, Santa Fe
Santa Fe Province
The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero...
) is a retired Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
-Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. A very versatile power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
, he was a regular member of the Argentine national basketball team
Argentina national basketball team
The Argentina national basketball team represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and is controlled by the Argentine Basketball Federation....
, and competed many years in the Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
.
Pro career
Nicola was selected 50th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft1993 NBA Draft
The 1993 NBA Draft took place on June 30, 1993 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The draft had some talented players at the top, but injuries and personal problems hurt many of them. Anfernee Hardaway, Allan Houston, and Jamal Mashburn all looked like possible Hall of Famers until their careers were cut...
, but remained in Europe and won the Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
in 1996 with TAU Cerámica
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
, the team in which he made his debut in the Spanish ACB League. He played his best basketball for Benetton Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group...
, with which he lifted another Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup
Saporta Cup was the name of the second-tier level European professional club basketball competition, where the National Cup winners from all over Europe played against each other. The competition was organized by FIBA Europe...
trophy in 1999, and he was selected to the All-Euroleague Second Team for the Euroleague 2001-02
Euroleague 2001-02
The Euroleague is an international basketball club competition for elite clubs throughout Europe. The Euroleague season 2001-02 started on October 10, 2001 and ended with the championship final game on May 5, 2002, in PalaMalaguti, Bologna, Italy. 32 teams competed for the championship, which was...
season. He also made it to the Euroleague 2002-03
Euroleague 2002-03
The Euroleague is an international basketball club competition for elite clubs throughout Europe. The 2002–2003 season featured 24 competing teams from 13 different countries...
final game.
Argentine national team
Nicola was a member of the Argentine national basketball team. With the junior national team of Argentina, he played at the 1993 FIBA Under-21 World ChampionshipFIBA Under-21 World Championship
The FIBA Under-21 World Championship was a men's under-21-only basketball competition organized by FIBA. It was formerly the FIBA 22 & Under World Championship before FIBA lowered the age limit to 21 years in December 1998, and had its name changed to World Championship for Young Men. The...
. With Argentina's senior men's national team, he played at the 1994 FIBA World Championship
1994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
, the 1996 Olympics
Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
, and the 1998 FIBA World Championship
1998 FIBA World Championship
The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
.