By Antonis Stroggylakis / astroggylakis@eurohoops.net
ABU DHABI –It took him some time, but finally, 34-year-old Nicolo Melli is a EuroLeague champion.
The Italian forward who played for Fenerbahce between 2017 and 2019 and scored 28 points in the lost final of 2018 against Real Madrid, a Final Four record at the time, went to the NBA, returned to Milan, and finally, in 2025, he won the trophy.
And when that happened, his emotions were visible. Melli was crying on the bench in the closing seconds of the game, and as he explained to Eurohoops: “I was so happy. I was close two times to winning the EuroLeague, and this chance didn’t come. So let’s be honest, I am 34 years old, so the chances are even less”.
Another Italian EuroLeague champ from 2010 with Barcelona gave him an extra motivation: “Gianluca Basile texted me today and told me, ‘play well, because you are old and the door is closing”. I was like, what kind of text is this? But you know, it’s true. I know that every year that goes by, the chances are getting fewer. So I am lucky, I feel good, but we never know when this thing might change”.
Leaving Milan and returning to Fenerbahce last summer proved to be the key for Melli: “Coming back to Fenerbahce in an unexpected way and being able to win on the first try, it’s just amazing”.