Ettore Messina
Italy- Biography of Ettore Messina
- Success with Kinder and Benetton
- Coaching Career at CSKA Moscow
- Return to CSKA Moscow and Later Career
Biography of Ettore Messina
Early Life and CareerEttore Messina was born on September 30, 1959, in Catania, Italy. He did not play basketball professionally but began his coaching career in 1976 when he took over the youth team of "Venezia". In 1979, he moved to the club "Superga Mestre" and won five youth championships in Italy. In 1982, Messina became an assistant coach for the senior team of "Udinese" and in 1983, he became the second coach for "Kinder". After six years, he became the head coach of "Kinder" and won the first Italian championship in the 1992/93 season. He then became the head coach of the Italian national team and achieved silver medals at the Goodwill Games in 1994 and the European Championship in 1997, as well as winning the Mediterranean Games in 1993.
Success with Kinder and Benetton
In 1997, Messina returned to "Kinder" (now called "Virtus") and won the Italian championship and the ULEB Euroleague in his first season. He continued his success in the spring of 2001 when his "Kinder" team won the ULEB Euroleague and the national championship again. In 2002, Messina moved to "Benetton" and won the Italian championship in the same year.
Coaching Career at CSKA Moscow
In 2005, Messina accepted an offer from CSKA Moscow and signed a three-year contract with the club. He significantly revamped the team by bringing in players such as Matjaz Smodis, David Vanterpool, and Trajan Langdon. In the 2005/06 season, CSKA Moscow faced some initial defeats in the preliminary stage of the Euroleague but performed better in the winter. However, the situation was complicated by a serious injury to their main center, David Andersen. As a replacement for Andersen, the team acquired Belgian player Tomac van den Spiegel. CSKA Moscow overcame the second group stage of the Euroleague, won the quarterfinals against Turkish team Efes Pilsen, and secured a spot in the Final Four. In Prague, CSKA Moscow defeated Barcelona in the semifinals (84:75) and triumphed over Israeli team Maccabi (73:69) in the final in May 2006. This victory against the most prestigious European club had not been achieved by a domestic team since 1971. For his performance in the Euroleague 2005/06, Messina received the Alexander Gomelsky Prize for the best coach of the tournament. In their first season under Messina's guidance, CSKA Moscow also won the Russian championship and the Russian Cup, facing little competition. In the 2006/07 season, CSKA Moscow made minimal changes to their lineup and had a successful run in the Euroleague, only suffering one defeat in the preliminary stage and winning all six matches in the Top 16 stage. In the quarterfinals, CSKA Moscow defeated Israeli team Maccabi in three matches, solidifying their position as one of the main favorites in the Euroleague. CSKA Moscow reached the Final Four for the fifth consecutive time, which took place in Athens from May 4 to 6, 2007. They faced Spanish team Unicaja in the semifinals and won (62:50). However, they were unable to defeat the host team Panathinaikos in the final (91:93). During the season, experts and fans noted that the team's play under Messina had become even more organized and stable compared to the previous season. Despite a serious injury suffered by one of the team's leaders, David Vanterpool, the club quickly signed a contract with Venezuelan player Oscar Torres, who easily integrated into the team and started in the starting lineup.
Return to CSKA Moscow and Later Career
In 2008, CSKA Moscow won the Russian championship and reclaimed the title of Euroleague champion by defeating Maccabi. Under Messina's guidance, CSKA Moscow became the Russian champions for the seventh consecutive time in 2009. However, they were defeated by Panathinaikos in the final match of the Euroleague. In June 2009, Messina was replaced by Evgeny Pashutin as the head coach of CSKA Moscow. There were rumors that Messina was invited to coach the Madrid basketball club "Real," but he could stay at CSKA Moscow as a consultant. On June 15, 2009, Messina signed a three-year contract with "Real." However, his tenure at "Real" did not start well as the team failed to reach the Euroleague semifinals in April 2010. In February 2011, "Real" extended Messina's contract until 2013. However, the following month, after another defeat, Messina decided to step down as the coach of "Real." In July 2011, he became a consultant coach for the American basketball club "Los Angeles Lakers" while Mike Brown was the head coach. In June 2012, Messina was again appointed as the head coach of CSKA Moscow. Currently, he serves as the head coach of "Olimpia Milano."
