By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Italian former coach Franco Casalini, a EuroLeague champion with Olimpia Milano in 1988, passed away at 70 years of age Thursday (28/7).
Per EuroLeague Basketball:
Euroleague Basketball expresses its condolences to the Italian basketball family upon learning of the death of Franco Casalini, a continental champion with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, who passed away on Thursday at age 70.
Casalini worked for Olimpia Milan for 18 years, most of them as the team’s assistant coach, from 1977 to 1987. When Dan Peterson stepped down as head coach, Casalini helped Molan to successfully defend the EuroLeague title, downing Maccabi Tel Aviv 90-84. He also lifted the Intercontinental Cup trophy with Milan in 1988, and added an Italian League title in 1989. Casalini went on to coach Libertas Forli and Virtus Roma before briefly returning to Milan, reaching the 1998 Saporta Cup final. Casalini also coached SAV Vacallo, which he led to back-to-back Swiss Cup titles in 1999 and 2000.
Once he finished his coaching career, Casalini was a longtime TV analyst for Sky Sports and also for EuroLeague TV, where he became a content director in 2011.
May he rest in peace.
Photo: EuroLeague