By George Orfanakis/ info@eurohoops.net
In recent years the Italian coach has been producing significant coaching work in Bamberg, who won three championships in a row (2015-2017) and who, during his time at the helm, have been playing intelligent and spectacular basketball.
Of course, every “cook” needs the right materials and Trinchieri is unique at finding the… choicest ones and turning them into fully formed athletes who are capable of delivering even at the top level of the NBA and Europe.
But what are the most characteristic cases? Eurohoops presents 5+1 players who showed rapid improvement under the guidance of Andrea Trinchieri and raised their stock in Europe and on the other side of the Atlantic.
Darius Miller (New Orleans Pelicans)
In February 2015, Darius Miller crossed the Atlantic to play in Europe for the first time in the colors of Bamberg. Up to that point in his career, the American forward was considered a player with little experience in the NBA (102 appearances) who would give substantial help to the German club so that they could achieve their goals.
In actuality, however, Miller proved to be more than a great addition. Under the directions of Andrea Trinchieri, he evolved into an all-around player with a poisonous shot, excellent movement on the court, very good defense and contribution in all areas.
Miller completed the 2016/2017 season with an average of 12.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2 assists and 41.1% in three-point shooting, and as a result became a target of both CSKA and Barcelona. In the end, he got a contract with the Pelicans, where he registered a new career best with 21 points and 5-for-8 in three-point shooting on last Tuesday morning.
Nicolo Melli (Fenerbahce)
Andrea Trinchieri’s Bamberg will always be considered a “school” for Nicolo Melli, one that helped him climb several steps and turned him into one of the best power forwards in Europe.
What is telling is the fact that the Italian travelled to Germany with good enough averages (5.3 points, 3.5 rebounds) but when he left the team he had more than doubled those numbers: 11.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 43.4% (!) in three-point shooting.
However, the numbers alone cannot fully capture Melli’s presence on the court. The current forward for Fenerbahce became visibly more creative, perfected his defensive game, learned how to score and create from the post, execute from long-range and put the ball on the floor.
He might go down in history celebrating his most important titles with Zeljko Obradovic, but the one who will have given him the necessary skills will have been Trinchieri, among others.
Daniel Theis (Boston Celtics)
Daniel Theis agreeing with the Boston Celtics may have surprised many basketball fans, but those who had seen the German center last season should have realized his enormous potential.
Of course, the improvement of the 25-year-old player carries the signature of Andrea Trinchieri, who was his guide for three seasons in a row. Theis’s productivity in points (9.6) and rebounds (4.6) might not have increased significantly in this time, but his percentages in two-point shooting (64.6%) and three-point shooting (41%) deserve special mention.
Boston’s rookie turned into a highly effective pick-and-roll player, with perfect positioning, confident finishes and the capacity to threaten from long-range. He has a strong body and now has the good fortune of working with the also talented Brad Stevens. From one good coach to the other…
Janis Strelnieks (Olympiacos)
From Andrea Trinchieri’s Bamberg to Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s Olympiacos! Within two years, Janis Strelnieks climbed not one but several levels competitively and now has a key role on the Reds’ roster.
More specifically, the Latvian is 3rd in terms of playing time (23.2 minutes) on the Greek team, behind Georgios Printezis and Nikola Milutinov (22.5 minutes), and in that time he tallies an average of 8.9 points and 2.5 assists while still being in the process of adjusting.
Besides, no one should forget that Strelnieks was the best in the entire EuroLeague last season regarding the assist to turnover ratio with a figure of 293% (76 for 26), but also the 5th best three-point shooter with 46% among those that attempted at least 80 three-pointers.
Under the guidance of Trinchieri, the current guard for Olympiacos learned to read the game, to assume responsibilities in organizing and executing, to set up pick-and-rolls, to drive and, above all, to avoid turnovers. Elements that brought him last summer’s big transfer…
Brad Wanamaker (Fenerbahce)
Fenerbahce, at this time the biggest favorites to win the EuroLeague, rely on two of Andrea Trinchieri’s former players to a very large extent and this is perhaps the greatest honor for the Italian coach.
One of those players is Brad Wanamaker, whose career took off in Bamberg and who continued with a leading presence in Darussafaka and now is a starter in Fener.
In Trinchieri’s hands, the American guard became an amazing scorer (12.6 points) who shows a willingness to create for his teammates (4.8 assists) and who never neglects his defensive duties. The 49-year-old coach had chosen Wanamaker from the Italian market, which he naturally knows quite well, with the player’s subsequent course more than justifying his choice.
And did you notice something else? All the players who are mentioned on this list are exceptional characters that put the good of the team above self-interest. Obviously, Trinchieri is not the only one responsible for this particular element but he can certainly help shape personalities with the right way of thinking.