Two-time All-Euroleague forward Nocioni inks new deal with Caja Laboral

Caja Laboral Vitoria reached an agreement with small forward Andres Nocioni for the coming season, which will mark his first in the Euroleague since 2004. Nocioni (1.99 meters, 31-year-old) re-joined Laboral in March and averaged 9.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12 Spanish League games. He started the 2011-12 season with Penarol Mar del Plata in his native Argentina and moved back to Philadelphia of the NBA before coming to Vitoria. Nocioni made a name for himself in the basketball world during three Euroleague seasons with Laboral, then called Tau Ceramica, between 2001 and 2004. He was chosen to the 2002-03 and the 2003-04 All-Euroleague second team. His best season came in 2002-03 when he compiled 16.8 points and 7.6 rebounds over 19 games. Nocioni has also played for Manresa in Spain, Racing Club, Olimpia Venado Tuerto and Independiente General Pico in Argentina and for Chicago, Sacramento and Philadelphia in the NBA. He has been a regular member of the Argentinean national team, which he helped win the gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Nocioni also won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and reached the 2002 FIBA World Championships title game. Nocioni was chosen as the Spanish League MVP in 2004 and won a Spanish League and two Spanish King’s Cup titles with Tau.