Ettore Messina, head coach of Milano, spoke to Basketball Sphere about various topics, including the upcoming match against Crvena Zvezda, the new salary cap in the EuroLeague, the NBA’s influence on European basketball, as well as Zeljko Obradovic, Gregg Popovich, and a player he would have liked to have coached but didn’t.
*This interview was conducted as a joint interview between Basketball Sphere and Mozzartsport, for which Ettore Messina took the time to speak
“Working with coach Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs, I really understood how important it is for a team to be like a family and that you should never forget that players are people first, regardless of how they play,” emphasized Ettore Messina in an interview with The Athletic over five years ago. The article, dedicated to the Italian coach, featured numerous NBA stars, including Gregg Popovich himself, as well as Pau Gasol and DeMar DeRozan, who spoke about his qualities through the lens of earning a chance in the NBA as a head coach.
That very human element is what will define Ettore Messina’s career in recent years. In an era where coaches are increasingly treated as commodities and something transient, the 65-year-old strategist from Catania is the only one in Europe, alongside Zeljko Obradovic, whose status, so to speak, does not depend solely on results but also on the established system, or “program,” as Ettore Messina would call the built culture of the mentioned franchise in his blog for Russian media titled “What the Spurs are all about.”
Thus, hypothetically, in another article titled “What the Milano are all about,” the central theme could be the trust that the leading figures, specifically Giorgio Armani, have when it comes to Ettore Messina. Unambiguously supporting him even in seasons when Milano did not have the best record in the EuroLeague, mostly due to numerous injuries and similar circumstances, a distinction was made in relation to the basketball “brave new world” where coaches are so interchangeable that they increasingly become numbers, and less and less people with names and personality.
Ettore Messina – an icon of European basketball
The name of Ettore Messina is deeply engraved in the structure of European basketball. He has been the best on the continent four times, twice named the best EuroLeague coach, and all of this while working at the highest-quality clubs – from Virtus, CSKA, Real Madrid, to Milano… He also enriched his experience with a stint in the NBA – with the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. As is evident through numerous analytical reflections from across the Atlantic, he is one of the best experts who has never been a head coach of an NBA team. That’s a whole different story…
What is current, however, is that Ettore Messina and his Milano are facing major challenges. The Italian team, with a 15-13 record in the EuroLeague, is visiting Crvena Zvezda (16-12) in one of the most crucial games in the fight for the playoff spot in the elite competition. And not only that. He is also aware of all the developments that the new basketball reality brings with it, such as the so-called salary cap and the NBA’s penetration into Europe, topics he discussed in his own style.
Before addressing the issues that Europe is currently dealing with, a word about Crvena Zvezda. Milano has come to Belgrade aiming for a fifth consecutive away win against the aforementioned rival, having convincingly defeated them at Unipol Forum in the first clash of the season.
“As always, it will be a very demanding game. We expect a sold-out arena and a very physically powerful team. Crvena Zvezda needs a win, and we need a win too. It will be a battle of nerves, and details will decide who will be better. It is very difficult this season. Everyone is dealing with injuries and has to change lineups and rotations. There’s also fatigue due to national leagues, and it’s becoming more challenging to stay consistent over the long haul, which Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, and maybe Bayern have managed so far. From week to week, things change. That’s why it’s very difficult to predict what will happen,” began Ettore Messina.
The number one topic is the appearance of Nikola Mirotic, who was injured against Fenerbahce, but traveled with the team and is eager to play.
“He still feels pain. Fortunately, nothing is broken. If he plays, it won’t make the situation worse unless he gets hit again. We’ll see how he reacts in practice. When a player wants to play, you have to respect that.”
So far this season, he has been successful against Serbian teams. In three matches played, he has two wins. The only loss came in Milano against Partizan.
“It’s not my job to compare them, that’s your job. I have many friends here and I don’t want to say anything stupid (laughs). Both teams have depth, with a lot of talent and physicality.”
European basketball, in terms of finances, will not be the same starting this fall. With the introduction of certain financial restrictions, teams with an A license, including the Italian team, will be allowed to spend up to eight million euros on salaries, excluding the two highest-paid players, U23 players, players with long-term injuries (minimum two-month break), players who have spent at least three years at the club, and the full salary of the moderately paid player (around 600,000 euros).
These eight million, without the mentioned additions, form the base salary cap, while the minimum is around 5.9 million euros. Wealthier clubs do not look favorably on such a distribution of roles, while those not as financially powerful welcome it with positive thoughts due to the potential for increased competitiveness and parity in the EuroLeague.
- EuroLeague unveils groundbreaking salary cap and luxury tax system
- Misko Raznatovic explains why he is against the EuroLeague salary cap
“First, this is not a salary cap. We have that in the U.S. because all the revenues are put into one pot. That doesn’t exist in Europe. I’m very interested to see what will happen with this because the most important thing about any rule or concept is how it is applied. In the NBA, even the smallest violation is detected and punished. The fact is that when we talk about Europe, we are talking about different countries, different tax systems, and different environments. I’m a little skeptical, although it’s important to create something that is sustainable. I fully understand the purpose and goal. I just don’t know if it is easily applicable.”
In an interview for Eurohoops a few months ago, he emphasized that the EuroLeague missed the opportunity 15 years ago to become a developmental league for the NBA. Now, according to the latest information, the NBA is knocking on Europe’s door. Teams like Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and other new attractive destinations are being mentioned. On the other hand, the reality is that the market in Europe is very poor, influenced by numerous factors such as the financial situation with the NCAA or the G-League.
“I didn’t want to downplay the role of the EuroLeague. At that time, we were on an important path, we had an alternative to develop players. What I see now is that it is no longer possible to focus on that because the level of competition is very high, and on top of that, the EuroLeague is a competition for veterans. It’s almost impossible to bring a player from the U.S. There are many topics that need to be considered.
At this moment, salaries have drastically increased, and it is becoming more difficult to find a financial balance, regardless of which rule is in place. In economics classes, they teach you that if you want to find balance, you can’t put everything in one pot. You have to create a balance between what you earn and what you spend. If you have a higher income, but expenses are rising, it’s hard to find balance. That’s another important thing we’ll have to talk about.”
“Zeljko and Gregg? I don’t have that right”
Specifically, how could the NBA improve the situation in European basketball?
“I don’t have the knowledge to say that. I’m glad there is better communication between FIBA, the EuroLeague, and the NBA. When I talked about the NBA coming to Europe, many people laughed.”
Talking about the NBA and EuroLeague from a coaching perspective, an unavoidable topic is the relationship with Zeljko Obradovic, with whom he has had a rivalry for decades, as well as his relationship with Gregg Popovich, with whom he was an assistant at the San Antonio Spurs. What one is for the EuroLeague, the other is for the NBA, that’s the impression. He will briefly and modestly comment on all of that.
“Two great coaches and two great people. I’ve already expressed my deepest respect for Zeljko many times, he doesn’t need that again (laughs). We’re talking about two different worlds and, so to speak, I don’t have the right to compare such two giants.”
Ettore Messina had a clear conclusion when it comes to the changes that need to take place in European basketball, specifying that everyone must act as one.
“It’s interesting that everyone has the right to speak. These are delicate topics that should be discussed by the board of owners of 13 teams. I prefer not to take a public stance on this, on something that should be discussed together. Unfortunately, in the last two or three years, the EuroLeague has changed its management several times. It is probably well-intentioned to talk about various topics, but sometimes it is difficult to understand in which direction all of this is heading.
The most important thing is that we come to some conclusions and decisions through unity. As long as there are many different comments, I won’t say anything public and more specific. The only thing I can say is that we are still at a moment where each club has its own vision for the future. I hope we will soon reach a point where a common goal prevails. Of course, maximum respect for all clubs.”
- Luka Zoric: Sarunas Jasikevicius is a very methodical coach—he comes from Zeljko Obradovic’s school
- Nihad Djedovic: The Copa del Rey is an incredible event, I am truly excited for this year’s edition
He continued in the same tone, comparing two different cultures in world basketball and the way important topics are discussed.
“Do you see the same thing in the NBA? Do owners and managers talk about what should be done, what the future holds? Total silence. And when something is decided, it’s public. In Europe, it’s different. I put myself in the position of a fan. I’m not saying that expansion, salary cap, or something else aren’t good things, but clubs should come out with unified positions. Otherwise, the future won’t be easy.”
Ettore Messina had the opportunity to work with numerous superstars and achieve great titles and success. However, there is one player he holds in special regard and somewhat regrets not being able to work with, even though it was close.
“I’m happy to have worked with incredible players. I don’t want to show disrespect to anyone, but one year we spoke with Anthony Parker from Maccabi Tel Aviv. I don’t remember which club I was at. I’ve always seen him as a great champion. I’ve always loved the way he plays. I could have said Nikola Jokic, but that wouldn’t make any sense (laughs). I chose someone we, as a club, at least spoke about and considered,” concluded Ettore Messina in his conversation with Basketball Sphere.
