By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
While speaking from self-confinement in Canada to Eurosport, Sergio Scariolo stated that he is in negotiations with the Spanish basketball federation about staying on the bench of the national team until the 2014 Olympics.
“Indeed, we are in talks for a contract extension until the 2024 Summer Olympic Game”, said Scariolo.“Both sides are willing to continue our collaboration. I am very happy about that, but we still need to finalize the deal.”
The Italian coach is one of the most successful national team coaches ever in FIBA history, winning in total seven medals with the team in the last decade, starting with one of his three Eurobasket gold medals in 2009 and winning also the gold in the recent FIBA World Cup. He led the team also to silver and a bronze medal in the last two Olympics. He is also an assistant coach for the NBA champions Toronto Raptors.
Scariolo also added his two cents about the proposed format of completing the Spanish Liga Endesa season, of a tournament between the 12 top teams of the current standings. “It is an idea from a long time ago, upon which the NBA is working,” explained Scariolo. “
To carry it out, we must make be more than careful, because the essential condition is security, not only of the players but of everything that surrounds the sport in general. I am not referring to the public in the stands because we have ruled that out but to the hotel staff and the rest of the people who, in one way or another, will be part of the tournament. The health of citizens is essential, and the risk of relapse is too high at the level of human loss and financial loss on a daily basis. The key is that everything should be evaluated very carefully. “