BASKETBALL

Nicolo Melli has been named the second-best defensive player of the EuroLeague season

23 April 2026 Thursday 17:30

At Fenerbahçe Beko, which finished the regular season in fourth place in the EuroLeague and will face Žalgiris Kaunas in the playoffs, the Italian forward achieved a notable success.

As EuroLeague continues to announce its end-of-season awards ahead of the playoffs, following the Coach of the Year and Rising Star awards, the Best Defensive Player award went to Alpha Diallo of AS Monaco Basket. Meanwhile, Melli earned recognition as the second-best defensive player for his performances during the 2025–26 regular season.

During the EuroLeague regular season, Melli averaged 6.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.5 blocks, and a performance index rating of 9.8.