Spurs assistant Ettore Messina will relinquish his position as head coach of the Italian national team following this year’s Eurobasket tournament, according to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. Messina originally coached the Azzurri from 1993-97, then returned to helm the team for the 2016 Olympic qualifying tournament in Turin. Italy failed to qualify, falling to Croatia in the finals.
During his first stint the national team finished ninth, fifth, and second in three Eurobasket tournaments, contested biannually. After a prolific career in Europe, which included four Euroleague titles and two Coach of the Year awards, Messina in July 2014 joined coach Gregg Popovich’s staff. His only prior NBA experience was as a consultant with the Lakers during the 2011-12 campaign.
