Messina’s credentials are beyond reproach as he is one of the greatest coaches in Euroleague history.
He was a five-time Italian league coach of the year, dating back to 1990, and a two-time Euroleague coach of the year. He won two Euroleague championships with CSKA Moscow, most recently in 2008, and has four Euroleague titles overall. This on top of the numerous domestic league championships he has won.
All this is well and good. It does not mean much to the NBA some would surely argue. Neither do NCAA Championships.
The point is, Messina is accustomed to coaching professional players. He has done so for most of his head coaching career. And he has had a ton of success, winning at just about every level.
Unlike Blatt, Messina has experience in the NBA now. He has been with the Spurs for two years and came over to be an advisor to the Lakers under Mike D’Antoni in for the 2012 season. So again, this is not a guy who is unfamiliar with NBA culture. He has been around the league for some time training for his right moment.
Next: The risk of chasing a Euroleague star