By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The successful seven-season partnership between EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and Ettore Messina has concluded, the team announced on Tuesday, cementing a legacy that guarantees the decorated strategist a prominent placement in the history of the club.
Serving simultaneously as head coach and president of basketball operations, he revitalized Olimpia Milano both on and off the court.
Under his meticulous guidance, the Little Red Shoes secured three LBA UnipolSai championships, two Frecciarossa Final Eight titles, and three Frecciarossa Supercoppa titles, while memorably ending a 29-year drought to reach the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in 2021.
🇬🇧 | He will hold a place in the club’s history: Olimpia is thankful to Ettore Messina.
At the end of a successful seven-season partnership, Olimpia Milano wishes to thank Ettore Messina for the work done both as coach and as President of Basketball Operations, and for his… pic.twitter.com/60jPKf4KiA
— Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) June 30, 2026
With the organization and its ownership expressing deep gratitude and extending warm wishes for his future endeavors, the veteran manager is already turning his attention toward an ambitious basketball frontier in the capital city. Messina is heavily linked to a monumental startup named Maxima Roma. This newly formed organization is finalizing the acquisition of a top-tier domestic title to immediately contest local honors alongside a secured annual BKT EuroCup license.
Before joining Milan in 2019, the Catania native had established himself as a globally recognized successful head coach by winning four EuroLeague championships. He first rose to prominence with Kinder Virtus Bologna, where he captured two European titles and three Italian League championships. After a highly successful domestic stint with Benetton Treviso, he moved to CSKA and dominated Russian basketball while lifting two additional EuroLeague trophies in 2006 and 2008. Following a brief period with Real Madrid, Messina transitioned to the NBA, where he spent five seasons as the lead assistant coach under Gregg Popovich for the San Antonio Spurs.
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