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After being contacted with a severe intestinal infection during a trip to the Tokyo Olympics tournament, former Golden State Warriors player Nico Mannion is expected to make a full recovery. Mannion, who weighs 190 pounds, looks to have been affected by the virus and has lost a significant amount of weight.
Nico Mannion is an Italian-American basketball player who now plays for Virtus Bologna in the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroCup. He was a member of the Arizona Wildcats basketball team in college. Despite having spent most of his life in the United States, Mannion competes internationally for his natal country of Italy.
Nico Mannion Weight Loss: Drops Nearly 20 Pounds
The health of Mannion drew widespread attention last week after a photoshoot at a team practice revealed his already slim physique seeming significantly leaner – Fans of the Warriors were alarmed by the sight.
No, it’s not Photoshop. It’s Nico Mannion a few days ago. pic.twitter.com/ElLHfac2vW
— Marco Pagliariccio (@loupaya) September 6, 2021
Mannion was unable to participate in Virtus’ training camp and was unable to play in the team’s first preseason game on September 3rd.
Photo Credit: Instagram
Sergio Scariolo, the head coach of Virtus, warned that Mannion would be out for a while and the team will require a replacement for the start of the season.
He added,
Mannion won’t be there at the start of the championship and so we need a player to avoid putting ‘squeezing’ the others. We are looking on the market for an element to be included, a point guard who can also remain in the future. Because of that, we focus on young people who can give something important, rather than a veteran addition.
Fortunately, the 20-year-old has regained his fitness after dropping nearly 20 pounds due to the infection.
According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic,
Former Warriors guard Nico Mannion contracted a severe intestinal infection overseas but has made a full recovery under the care of Italian specialists at Sant’Orsola Hospital in Bologna, per source. He’s regained 17 of the pounds lost due to infection and begun individual training.
When Will Nico Mannion Return To NBA?
Mannion has an out-clause in his Virtus deal that allows him to return to the NBA after the first year. If the 20-year-old guard returns, it will be with the Golden State Warriors, who retain his restricted free agent status.
Nico Mannion will have an opportunity to return to the NBA in 1-2 years, and the Warriors will still maintain his restricted free agency rights if/when he returns, per @Schultz_Report, @anthonyVslater pic.twitter.com/VnrR24yq6P
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) August 10, 2021
Photo Credit: Instagram
His representative, Bill Duffy, told NBA insider Jordan Schultz that the 20-year-old intends to come back to the NBA after winning a title in Italy, and that looks to be the long-term plan.
#Warriors will retain Nico Mannion as a RFA. Important note to consider, especially with Bill Duffy expressing that Mannion could potentially return to the league in a year or two.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 10, 2021
In a year-end analysis of Mannion’s season, Wes Goldberg of the Mercury News stated that he has the potential to be a quality player on the second unit, but he must first address his weaknesses.
“His 34.2% shooting ranked last on the team and, with defenses sagging off of him, it made driving and kicking much more difficult, especially since he’s not an elite athlete. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Mannion is too small to be a high-level defender. Over the course of his rookie season, the only thing Mannion proved he could do was to take care of the ball (just one turnover per game), but he did not create for himself or others.”
Mannion’s infection was unknown at the time of the Tokyo Olympics, although it did not appear to slow him down. In the Olympics, he averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 assists per game, helping Italy reach the quarterfinals before losing to eventual silver medalist France.
