Los Angeles Lakers go European; Hire Ettore Messina as an assistant coach – NBA Update
The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Italian coach Ettore Messina as an assistant or coaching consultant to head coach Mike Brown, it has been confirmed.
Ettore Messina enjoys legendary status across the Atlantic, where he has been successful as a coach for over 2 decades. The wily Italian will join the Lakers at the back of a two year stint with Real Madrid who play in the Spanish
ACB league. Before that, Ettore Messina enjoyed unparalleled success at powerhouse CSKA Moscow where he won the Russian league title in each of his four years as well as two European Championship crowns.
Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, New Jersey Nets and San Antonio Spurs had reportedly courted Messina for a long time but the coach has eventually decided to join the Los Angeles Lakers. He is known to be a big admirer of Lakers
superstar Kobe Bryant, which might have affected his decision.
Messina also has a good relationship with Mike Brown and spoke to this effect in a press release,
"I am honoured to have received this opportunity from one of the greatest basketball organizations in the world," Messina said. "I have great respect for coach Mike Brown and I'm excited to work with him and his staff."
Mike Brown only joined the Los Angeles Lakers a while ago, after the retirement of the legendary Phil Jackson. Brown was not one of the favourites for the job, with Brian Shaw, the former assistant, enjoying the backing of fans
and players alike. However, he managed to convince the Los Angeles Lakers management of his ability when he had the chance to meet them.
Since his appointment the franchise is increasingly geared towards change. Brown is a defensive specialist and expected to shore up the team in that aspect. He is also believed to be willing to ditch the much famed “Triangle offence”
which brought Phil Jackson unprecedented success with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers, and which Kobe Bryant seems to favour.
Personnel changes include the departure of Brian Shaw, who has taken up an assistant managing slot with the Indiana Pacers. John Kuester, who was fired by the Detroit Pistons recently, has also joined the backroom staff, with a
big reason being his ties with Mike Brown.
The latest in these changes is the appointment of Messina. Although there is an increasingly large presence of European players in the NBA, the appointment of a European coach is somewhat new to the league.
Messina comes to the Lakers after winning numerous accolades including European Coach of the Year in 1998, Euro league Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2008, and Italian Coach of the Year in 1990, 1993, 1998, 2001 and 2005, to name
a few.
With such an impressive resume, it is little wonder the Lakers wanted to hire him.
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