The Italian forward led Fener to Final Fours in 2018 and 2019
Fenerbahce reunites with Nicolo Melli
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Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul has announced the signing of Nicolo Melli on a two-year deal, the club confirmed on Tuesday morning.
Melli (2.05 meters, 33 years old) spent the last three years with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, where he averaged 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists for a PIR of 9.6 during the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague campaign.
The Italian forward returns to Fenerbahce, where he played between 2017 and 2019 and helped the club reach the Final Four in each of those two seasons.
Melli is a 12-season EuroLeague veteran, having played in the competition for Milan (2010-15), Brose Bamberg (2015-17), Fenerbahce (2017-19), and Milan again (2021-24). Between 2019 and 2021, Melli also spent time in the NBA, playing for the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks.
An All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2016-17, Melli was also the highest scorer in the 2018 EuroLeague Championship Game with 28 points, but his Fenerbahce side came up short to Real Madrid.
In his previous two seasons in Istanbul, Melli averaged 8.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists for a 12.0 PIR as the team reached the championship game in 2017-18, before posting 7.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and a 9.2 PIR as Fenerbahce once again returned to the Final Four, this time falling in the semifinals.
To date, Melli has played 305 games in the EuroLeague, with his career averages standing at 7.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and a 10.4 PIR. Melli is eighth in EuroLeague history with 1,492 rebounds and fourth with 1,123 defensive rebounds. He also checks in at 14th in career steals (266), 17th in blocks (147) and 51st in scoring (2,293 points).