Nocioni’s Disneyland Surprise: Running into Dusko Ivanovic in Paris

From a rocky start to finding his game

Andres “El Chapu” Nocioni didn’t have an easy introduction to European basketball. After coming over from Independiente de Pico and a spell in Spain’s second division, his first full season with Baskonia was a grind. His coach at the time, Dusko Ivanovic, was famously strict, and Nocioni often had to work harder than most to earn his place.

Early on he struggled with his three-point shot and went through a noticeable slump. The coach urged him to keep shooting even when the misses piled up, and Nocioni shifted his focus to other areas — crashing the boards and doing the little things — while teammates and staff helped him get more comfortable on offense. Over the season his numbers improved significantly, and by the end he was shooting respectably from deep and delivering a steadier all-around game.

An awkward meet-cute at Disneyland

Midway through that season the team was given a short break, and Nocioni and his partner decided to take a few days in Paris. They nearly canceled when they learned the coach was also in the city, but figured the odds of bumping into him were low. To their surprise, they ran into Ivanovic and his family at Disneyland.

Trying to keep their distance proved impossible: they ended up in the same roller coaster car. What could have turned into a tense moment turned out to be surprisingly relaxed. Off the court Ivanovic was polite and composed, and the whole encounter even became a funny anecdote. Before leaving, Ivanovic’s wife suggested buying the ride photo as proof they’d shared the car — and Nocioni took her advice. He still keeps that picture as a reminder of an odd but harmless slice of life during a challenging season.

The story is one of those small, human moments that show how intense personalities on the court can be quite different in everyday life, and it’s a chapter Nocioni has recounted when looking back at his early years in Europe.