Nicolo Melli: “Jose Mourinho and I Share the Same Birthday, I Hope We Celebrate Together”

Nicolo Melli, who first played for Fenerbahçe Beko between 2017 and 2019 before heading to the NBA, has returned to the club after a five-year stint abroad. Ahead of Fenerbahçe’s first EuroLeague game of the new season, Melli spoke to Eurohoops during the club’s media day.

Eurohoops: The last time we interviewed you, you didn’t have a child, and you were engaged. Now, you have a three-year-old child. How has this changed your perspective on life?

Melli: “Actually, my perspective on life is going to change even more because at the end of this year, I’m going to be a father again. The last five or six years of my life have been very eventful, especially from a family standpoint. I’m very proud of this. Becoming a father changes a lot because having a child shifts many things. I’m also lucky to have a wonderful wife who takes care of everything, which allows me to focus on basketball and maintain my routines.”

EH: You first turned professional in 2004 at the age of 13, right?

Melli: “Yes, I didn’t play that day, but I was on the bench.”

EH: That’s crazy—there was a 13-year-old kid on the bench!

Melli: “Yes, it is.”

EH: It’s been 20 years since then. Are you tired?

Melli: “No, I’m not tired. In fact, these kinds of changes excite me. Returning to Fenerbahçe is thrilling, so no, I’m definitely not tired. Of course, I’m different from the way I was 20 years ago, but that’s called ‘experience.’ So no, I’m not tired at all.”

EH: Did you miss Istanbul?

Melli: “Yes, I really did. Every time I came back here to play against Fenerbahçe while with Milano, it was always an emotional experience for me. I’m happy to relive it again.”

EH: Before returning here, you mentioned that you thought you’d stay in Milano. Were you surprised by their decision?

Melli: “Yes and no. I had different thoughts, but that’s part of the business. That’s how it goes. I’m very happy to be here now.”

EH: What do you think has changed at Fenerbahçe compared to six years ago?

Melli: “The organization has improved even more. There are certain things in place now that help players perform better. The management is mostly the same, and I know many of the people in the office. Those who are new have the same spirit. There’s a good atmosphere here.”

EH: Your transfer to Fenerbahçe happened quickly this summer. How did that process unfold?

Melli: “When Milano informed me that we were parting ways, Fenerbahçe was already interested. We talked, and everything moved quickly. They made a good offer, and it aligned with what I had in mind. I love Istanbul and the organization here, so the process didn’t take long.”

EH: I watched an interview you did with Joe Arlauckas three years ago. You said, “People don’t appreciate winning enough, but they are devastated when they lose.” Is that still the case for you?

Melli: “Unfortunately, yes. I don’t think that will change until the end of my career (laughs). I’m trying to appreciate winning more, especially during tough times, but losses still hit me harder. Sadly, I remember the defeats more than the victories.”

EH: Your mother won a silver medal in volleyball at the 1984 Olympics. You’ve referred to her as the “champion” of your family. What would it take for you to surpass her title?

Melli: “(Laughs) Winning a gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics! No, seriously, my mother winning silver in LA in 1984 is incredible. I think it’s very hard to top that.”

EH: I know your favorite coach is Jose Mourinho. Have you had the chance to meet him?

Melli: “Not yet, but I hope to. We share the same birthday, so maybe we’ll celebrate together (laughs). Mourinho was very successful when he coached the team I supported (Inter), and I hope we have the same success here at Fenerbahçe.”

EH: You once said, “To play in the NBA, you need confidence.” Even though you didn’t get much playing time in your second season, you mentioned that playing in the NBA boosted your confidence. How did that happen?

Melli: “Yes, you need confidence to play in the NBA, but you also need mental toughness to stick around. Opportunities are limited there, so when you get a chance, you have to seize it. You really need to believe in what you do.”

EH: In your year with New Orleans, there were talks about you possibly being traded to the San Antonio Spurs. If that had happened, do you think your NBA career would have been longer?

Melli: “I don’t know. I think the main thing that changed my NBA career was the spread of COVID. Of course, that was bigger than basketball, but at that time, I was playing more, and our team had a good rhythm. We were on our way to the playoffs, but COVID changed a lot. Then New Orleans changed coaches, and the new coach had different ideas about how to use the bigs. So, many things changed. I’m not sure about the Spurs trade—it could have been a good opportunity when I was with Dallas since I wasn’t playing much there. But you never know.”

EH: You once described the 2018 EuroLeague final as “one of the worst moments” of your career and mentioned that you haven’t watched the replay. Is that still true?

Melli: “Yes, I won’t be watching it.”

EH: You’ve jokingly said, “We need to get rid of Gigi (Datome), I can’t stand him, and unfortunately, I talk to him every day.” I’m jealous of your friendship. How did your relationship with Gigi develop?

Melli: “(Laughs) If you want, we can switch roles—you can be friends with Gigi instead! No, but seriously, we used to room together when we didn’t have single rooms. We shared rooms for both the national team and Fenerbahçe, so we were always together. We had common interests, and honestly, Gigi is very easy to get along with. Now that he’s retired, I can finally have some peace (laughs).”

EH: I know beach volleyball was once your “summer love.” You even considered quitting basketball for it. Given that your hometown Reggiana doesn’t have beaches, do you think you could have been as successful as Chase Budinger (who became a professional beach volleyball player after basketball)?

Melli: “Honestly, I think I made the right choice by sticking with basketball. Beach volleyball remains just a summer fling.”

EH: You once said that Obradovic’s first three sets in games are always the same. Is it the same with Saras?

Melli: “I’m not sure yet. We’ve just finished preseason, so we’ll see throughout the year. Every coach has similarities and differences, and we’ll figure them out as the season progresses.”

EH: Lastly, what is your real role here, and what are your expectations?

Melli: “My expectation is to help my team as much as possible and reach our goals. As for my role, you’ll have to ask the coach how he plans to use me. I’ll do my best to contribute to the team.”