Four-time EuroLeague champion Ettore Messina has explained his decision to return to the NBA as a consultant for the Atlanta Hawks.
The 67-year-old Italian coach discussed his new position during the second edition of the European Basketball Advisory Group Business Conversations.
Messina revealed that he wanted to remain involved in basketball while considering his next coaching opportunity.
“I was looking for something that would allow me to continue working in basketball while waiting for a new opportunity to coach,” Messina explained.
His move to Atlanta also reunites him with Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, who previously served as his lead assistant at CSKA Moscow.
Messina returns to the NBA after a seven-year absence, bringing extensive experience from European basketball.
The Italian coach has won four EuroLeague championships and has worked with several leading European clubs throughout his career.
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His consulting position with Atlanta allows him to remain active in professional basketball while keeping his options open for a potential return to coaching.
