 Nicola withLietuvos rytas Vilnius | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1971-05-12)12 May 1971 (age 54) | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Argentine / Italian | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 1993: 2nd round, 50th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Drafted by | Houston Rockets | ||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1988–2007 | ||||||||||||||
| Position | Power forward | ||||||||||||||
| Number | 4, 11, 13 | ||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2014–present | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Cañadense | ||||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | Baskonia | ||||||||||||||
| 1991 | Long Island Surf | ||||||||||||||
| 1991–1996 | Baskonia | ||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Panathinaikos | ||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | FC Barcelona | ||||||||||||||
| 1998–2004 | Benetton Treviso | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | BC Kyiv | ||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Mens Sana Siena | ||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Reggiana | ||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Baskonia | ||||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Benetton Treviso (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Istrana | ||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | UCAM Murcia (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2014 | UCAM Murcia | ||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Lietuvos rytas Vilnius | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Hapoel Jerusalem (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Bamberg (assistant) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Forlì | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Gipuzkoa | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Treviso | ||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Scafati Basket | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||
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Stats atBasketball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Marcelo Patricio Nicola Virginio (born 12 May 1971) is an Argentine-Italian[1][2] former professionalbasketball player and a current coach. A very versatilepower forward, he was a regular member of theArgentine national basketball team, and competed many years in theEuroLeague. He was most recently the head coach forScafati Basket of theLega Basket Serie A (LBA).
Nicola was selected 50th overall in the1993 NBA draft, but remained in Europe and won theSaporta Cup in 1996 withTaugrés, the team in which he made his debut in theSpanish ACB League. He played his best basketball forBenetton Treviso, with which he lifted anotherSaporta Cup trophy in 1999, and he was selected to theAll-EuroLeague Second Team for theEuroleague 2001–02 season. He also made it to theEuroleague 2002–03 final game.
Nicola was a member of theArgentine national basketball team. With the junior national team of Argentina, he played at the 1993FIBA Under-21 World Cup. With Argentina's senior men's national team, he played at the1994 FIBA World Championship, the1996 Olympics, and the1998 FIBA World Championship.
In 2012, Nicola started his coach career as assistant coach inLiga ACB teamUCAM Murcia.[3] In 2014, after the sacking of Óscar Quintana, he was named the head coach of the team.
In February 2015, he became the head coach ofLietuvos rytas Vilnius team (Lithuania) after Virginijus Šeškus release. On 16 November 2015 it was announced that Nicola was fired from Lietuvos rytas Vilnius due to poor results.[4]
In the beginning of 2016–17 season he joined his former coachSimone Pianigiani at the Israeli clubHapoel Jerusalem.
On 8 September 2017 Nicola came back toBaskonia, where he played six years, for being the coordinator of the youth teams of the club.[5]
On 2 June 2024 he signed withScafati Basket of theLega Basket Serie A (LBA).[6]
