Nocioni's amateur spirit

BUENOS AIRES (Martín Seldes' Brave New World) - Whenever a kid starts playing basketball, he dreams of becoming a professional player, maybe participate in an Olympic Game or play in the NBA some day.

But there aren’t many who would do it the other way around.

Andres Nocioni, who turns 32 on November 30, is so well-known in the world that he could probably be signed up sooner rather than later by most teams of every basketball league in the world.

However, while he waits for the endless NBA lockout to finish, Noch is doing something amazing.

He’s playing almost for free for Penarol, the reigning Argentinian League champions. And even more important, he’s playing without an insurance that would protect him in case of an incidental injury.

Are those things not enough to convince everyone he still thinks like an amateur player?

Over the last seven years, "Chapu" (as he is known in the Spanish-speaking countries) has been moving from one NBA city to the next by plane. Exclusive NBA planes.

This past weekend, however, his mode of transportation changed drastically as he had to face a 20-hour bus trip.

“I’m not worried about the bus trip. I can sleep anywhere and I remember perfectly well where I come from," Nocioni said after his second game with Penarol, in which he scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in 33 minutes on court to lead his team to an easy victory on Atenas.

Before the FIBA Americas Championship, I interviewed Nocioni in a five-star hotel and asked him whether he felt weird always living in luxurious places.

“I just want to play basketball, I don’t care where I am but if I have to live in a five-star hotel, why not?” he answered.

Nocioni was born in Santa Fe province, some 500km from Buenos Aires. He moved to General Pico, in La Pampa province, when he was 18 and started his family there. Whenever he has a couple of days off, he comes back to the fields, where he loves to hunt and fish together with some friends.

While Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and Carlos Delfino - Argentina's three other NBA players - are still waiting for a solution to the lockout, Nocioni is back on the courts.

It’s not the first time he has made a decision more with his heart rather than with his head.

At the FIBA Americas Championship, he tried to play in the Semi-Final with a badly injured ankle. His leg was so red and swollen that he couldn’t even jump to score an easy lay-up and instead had to sit on the bench again.

This is the same guy who risked his body to help his teammates at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

He was limping so badly, it was incredible to see him playing in the Bronze Medal game. Despite his knee tendinitis, he scored 14 points to help his team beat Lithuania and win his second Olympic medal.

“I felt like a kid again”, said Nocioni after his first weekend of action with Penarol, that ended with one win and one defeat.

Next up will be the Super 8, a friendly tournament taking place from Wednesday to Saturday (23-26 November) and that features the eight best teams from Argentina's top flight.

After that, it’s unknown what awaits Nocioni.

One thing is for sure though - he will go on playing. The only question is where. 

Martín Seldes

FIBA

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