Nico Mannion and the Rome Project: "We Can Achieve Great Things"

Nico Mannion has had a successful season, achieving a treble with Olimpia Milan and earning Man of the Match honors in Italy's crucial World Cup qualifier victory against Lithuania. His move to Rome has also been notably announced by Luka Doncic himself.

"It was great," Mannion told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "We had a video call with the team and Luka, it was fantastic. I really like this project and I believe in the people behind it, I'm thrilled. Plus, as everyone knows, I have family in Rome, very close by in Ostia. This will be the first time in my professional career that my Italian grandparents and cousins will see me play in person, which is really special."

What prompted Nico Mannion to choose this nascent club?

"The people behind this project, Donn Nelson and Luka Doncic, are basketball legends. With people of that caliber by our side, I believe we can achieve great things. We're starting with the EuroCup, with the goal of reaching the EuroLeague, and in the third year, NBA Europe will emerge – it will be an adventure, something new. We need to be patient and understand how the entire system works, but I'm happy to be a part of it and to give my best to contribute to the growth of this organization. [...] It's not like joining a team you know, like two years ago when I arrived in Milan and knew where I was going: the history, the coach, their style of play, everything. Here, even the city is new, so we have to wait and trust the process."

Nico Mannion on Joining the Rome Project: "We Can Achieve Great Things"

Nico Mannion is embarking on a new chapter with the emerging basketball project in Rome, a move that has generated considerable buzz. After a successful treble-winning season with Olimpia Milan and a standout performance for Italy in a World Cup qualifier, Mannion's decision to join the Rome team has been widely discussed. He revealed that even Luka Doncic himself announced the transfer.

"It was great," Mannion shared with La Gazzetta dello Sport. "We had a video call with the team and Luka, it was fantastic. I really like this project and I believe in the people behind it; I'm thrilled. Additionally, as everyone knows, I have family in Rome, very close by in Ostia. This will be the first time in my professional career that my Italian grandparents and cousins will see me play in person, which is really special."

Mannion elaborated on the factors that influenced his decision to opt for this developing club:

"The people behind this project, Donn Nelson and Luka Doncic, are basketball legends. With people of that caliber by our side, I believe we can achieve great things. We're starting with the EuroCup, with the goal of reaching the EuroLeague, and in the third year, NBA Europe will emerge – it will be an adventure, something new. We need to be patient and understand how the entire system works, but I'm happy to be a part of it and to give my best to contribute to the growth of this organization. [...] It's not like joining a team you know, like two years ago when I arrived in Milan and knew where I was going: the history, the coach, their style of play, everything. Here, even the city is new, so we have to wait and trust the process."