The young guard is working his way back to the court for Virtus Bologna.
Former Golden State Warriors guard Nico Mannion signed with Virtus Bologna in Italy this offseason. However, the Arizona alum could not start the season on the court for his new team after an extended bout with an intestinal infection. As a result, Mannion did not participate in the team’s training camp and lost significant weight. While he is no longer dealing with the infection, he is now working to regain weight and return to playing shape.
The Warriors drafted Mannion with the 48th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Considered a top-ten prospect out of high school, Mannion struggled through an inconsistent freshman season and saw his draft stock tumble. Still, the Warriors were willing to bet on his long-term potential.
As a rookie, Mannion appeared in 30 NBA games, shooting .342/.367/.821 while average 4.1 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game. With the Warriors G-League affiliate, Mannion started all nine games he played and averaged 19.3 points, 6.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game.
While Mannion left the Warriors last offseason, the organization retained the rights over the young guard because he signed with an international league. After an impressive Olympic performance with Italy’s national team-where he averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 assists per game-Mannion was expected to be a big part of Virtus Bologna’s roster.
According to a report by Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Mannion has already regained 17 pounds and begun individual training. However, he doesn’t mention when the 2020 2nd round pick is expected to return to practice or a Virtus Bologna game. Hopefully, Mannion can return to full strength soon and continue developing overseas before a potential return to Golden State.
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