Legendary European coach Ettore Messina will return to the NBA as a consultant with Hawksaccording to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.netrelaying a report from Walter Fuocci of La Republicca.
Messina will be reunited with the Hawks head coach Quinn Snyderwho was Messina’s assistant at CSKA Moscow before starting his NBA coaching career.
Messina, who will turn 67 at the end of September, previously worked as a consultant for one season with the Lakers in 2011-12 and was a top assistant coach Gregg Popovich in San Antonio from 2014-19. He spent the last few years with Olimpia Milan in his native Italy before parting ways with the team this summer.
Considered one of the greatest European basketball coaches of all time, Messina won four EuroLeague championships and led his teams to the EuroLeague Final Four 12 times. The two-time Euroleague Coach of the Year also has seven Italian titles in Italy and six domestic championships in Russia’s top league.
It looks like Messina’s new position will allow him to stay in Italy at least part-time, as he is expected to work as a television analyst for Sky Sports.