Nocioni Returns After Taking the Summer to Recover

To the delight of Chicago Bulls fans, the team’s forward Andres Nocioni will return to the court with his team later this month. Nocioni has spent the summer recovering from an extended case of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, but finally arrived at the Bulls camp last week. Nocioni, who weighed in at 228 pounds, will return to the court seven pounds lighter than he was last season. There’s talk that the lost weight may affect Nocioni’s ability to keep up with LeBron James, but both Nocioni definitely isn’t worried about that. “I think right now I feel much better with this weight. I can move a little bit faster than last year, and it’s much better for my foot.” Coach Scott Skiles isn’t worried either, recently saying, “He’s moving around well, he’s playing well. Hopefully as time goes on we’ll think it meant something that he came in a little lighter. But right now he’s about the same.”

Nocioni is a ‘6’7” Argentina native who has spent the last few summers ripping up the court for his country’s national basketball team. Nocioni was forced to take this summer off due to his foot injury, and the resting time may have just set him up for a more energetic start to the season. Although the Bulls will most likely benefit from Nocioni’s summer off, Argentina’s team probably wished Nocioni had been around – although they did end up in second place at the FIBA Tournament of the Americas in Las Vegas. The team finished right behind the U.S., earning them a berth in next year’s Beijing Olympics.

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