By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
“It’s hard to play when you play for nothing”. Kevin Punter said that for the third-place game on the EuroLeague Final Four and coach Ettore Messina a little bit later agreed.
There’s no glory in finishing third and in the case of Messina, a four-time EuroLeague champion, that’s more than true. And when he appeared with his hand hurt, everyone assumed that he might have been furious after losing the chance to play in one more final.
However, appearances can deceive. Messina had a freak accident on Friday night, trying to handshake a friend as he explained. And while he certainly would love to be in one more final, he more than enjoys being part of the AX Armani Olimpia Milan.
In his previous Final Four back in 2014, when he left CSKA Moscow for the San Antonio Spurs at the end of the season, he said in the press conference after the 3rd place game that he felt like in a marriage that there’s no love anymore.
That’s not the case in Milan. “There’s a lot of love”, he said with a smile, “We are very lucky because Mr. Armani is an unbelievable owner. The way you see him when he has his fashion shows, his bright smile, and positiveness is really impacting the team and the club”.
And that’s why Milan’s return to Final Four after 29 years remains special. “I really enjoyed being here”, said Messina. “I really love to work with our GM Mr. Stavropoulos, I enjoy the team, I enjoy the organization, the president Mr. Dell’Orco. If I have the energy, I will be happy to continue to do that”.
So does Messina feels vindicated for returning to Europe from the NBA, where he spent five seasons as an assistant in the San Antonio Spurs under coach Gregg Popovich.
The answer was given again with a big smile: “No, I wasn’t looking for any kind of revenge. I just wanted to have one more time my own team, before finishing my career. That was it. I have found it and I am very happy”.