Two more stops in the'Olimpia Milano

It is certainly not an easy start for Peppe Poeta as head coach of EA7 Emporio Armani Milano. After the minor heart surgery that forced Diego Flaccadori to stop, two other players have to stop in the Olimpia house: Ousmane Diop and Nico Mannion. The former underwent arthroscopic surgery for “cleaning” of the right knee and in the coming days will resume the rehabilitation path, the latter reported in training a decomposed fracture of the nasal bones and in the coming days will be subject to further diagnostic investigations to determine the timing of the return to activity with protective mask.

Ousmane Diop, who was born in Rufisque, Senegal, on Feb. 19, 2000, but grew up basketball-wise in Italy, made his Serie A2 debut in the 2016-2017 season in the ranks of Udine Basketball; the following season, he made it to the play-offs of the Eastern Group. In August 2018, he signed a four-year contract with Banco di Sardegna Dinamo Sassari, with whom he then renewed until 2024. On July 3, 2024 he signed a two-year contract with Olimpia Milano, with whom he won the last two Italian Super Cups, with Sassari instead he won the Europe Cup in 2019. He was also MVP of the 2020-2021 Serie A2 and most improved player of the 2022-2023 LBA.

Nico Mannion, son of Pace Mannion, was born in Siena on March 14, 2001. He began his career in the United States, at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona, from 2015 to 2019, then in college he played in 2019-2020 for the Arizona Wildcats, declaring himself available at the end of the season for the NBA Draft, being chosen as 48th by the Golden State Warriors, with whom he plays one season. In 2021 he landed in Europe, at Virtus Bologna, with whom he won two Italian Super Cups in 2021 and 2022. After two seasons in the shadow of the two towers he landed in Spain, at Saski Baskonia, but within six months he returned to Italy, to Varese, finally, on November 1, 2024, the arrival at Olimpia, with whom he won another Italian Super Cup this year.

Last November 24, Peppe Poeta replaced the resigning Ettore Messina as head coach of the Milanese team, which currently has a record of 7 wins and 6 losses in the Euroleague and 5 wins and 4 losses in the league.