By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
On Sunday evening, the Unipol Forum became a theater of nostalgia and reverence as EA7 Emporio Armani Milano officially elevated Kyle Hines into its Hall of Fame.
The ceremony during Round 29 of Italy’s LBA UnipolSai Regular Season marked the meeting with Trieste with the entry of the 39-year-old former player into the pantheon of a club where he served as a foundational pillar from 2020 to 2024. Hines retired in 2024, following the conclusion of his stint with the Scarpette Rosse, to join the Brooklyn Nets’ front office. He became the latest legend added to a prestigious list that now honors 46 historical figures.
The native of Sicklerville, New Jersey, reflected on the serendipitous nature of his arrival in Milan, attributing much of the credit to former teammate Sergio Rodriguez, recalling how he relentlessly messaged him via social media to explain the ambitious Olimpia project, noting that his prior experience starting his career in Italy made him well aware of the club’s gravity in European basketball. He also emphasized that he never played for records, but rather for ‘what the team needed to win’.
42 is forever pic.twitter.com/aExTemegas
— Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) May 3, 2026
While immersed in his current role as assistant general manager for the G League’s Long Island Nets, Hines admitted to missing the visceral tension of the locker room and the ‘final quest for a championship’ at the end of the season. He spoke of Milan as his ‘first dream’ while playing in the second-tier division of Italy back in 2008, noting the 40 to 45 members of his personal circle in attendance.
42 is family pic.twitter.com/HCUXFRlNBh
— Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) May 3, 2026
Looking toward the future, he remained open to a return to Milan. “I love it here in Italy. My wife literally nudges me and tells me every day that she wants to move back here, that she wants to live here,” he mentioned. “Eventually, when the time is right, I’ll find myself back here in some capacity.”
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