Ettore Messina Returns to NBA as Atlanta Hawks Consultant After 7 Years

The veteran Italian coach joins head coach Quin Snyder’s staff following a seven-year tenure with Olimpia Milano that concluded earlier this year. According to official franchise communications, Messina brings a resume spanning over four decades in European and international basketball to Georgia, where he will support the technical staff with practice organization, game preparation, and tactical planning rather than sitting on the bench as a traditional assistant coach.

The appointment marks Messina’s third stint in the NBA, following prior roles as a consultant for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2011–12 campaign and as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs from 2014 to 2019 under Gregg Popovich. News outlets including La Gazzetta dello Sport and ANSA highlighted that Messina’s new agreement is structured around three-week work blocks, allowing him flexibility to travel back to Europe during the season.

Reuniting Familiar Faces in Atlanta

Messina’s arrival in Atlanta features several professional reunions. Head coach Quin Snyder previously served as an assistant under Messina at CSKA Moscow during the 2012–13 season. In addition, Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh previously worked alongside Messina during their shared tenure with the San Antonio Spurs, while Atlanta assistant coach Steve Klei previously operated as a player development coach under Messina at Olimpia Milano.

During his extensive career, Messina secured four EuroLeague titles—winning twice with Virtus Bologna in 1998 and 2001, and twice with CSKA Moscow in 2006 and 2008. He also guided the Italian national team to a silver medal at EuroBasket 1997 and was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame. In Milan, he captured three consecutive league championships from 2022 to 2024 as head coach, later adding a fourth title in a managerial capacity before stepping down.

Hawks Roster Outlook and Eastern Conference Context

The Atlanta Hawks enter the upcoming campaign aiming to build upon a playoff appearance from the previous season. Under Snyder, the squad finished the prior regular season with a 46–36 record as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, pushing the eventual champion New York Knicks to six games in the opening round of the postseason.

The roster features cornerstone forward Jalen Johnson alongside young talents Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu. Front office additions over the summer include veteran guard Lu Dort—who previously won an NBA championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder—alongside CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, bolstering the team’s postseason experience.

Upcoming Schedule and Checkpoints

Messina is scheduled to travel to the United States ahead of the franchise’s media day on September 28, followed by the opening of the training camp in Nashville on September 29, just ahead of his 67th birthday on September 30. The upcoming NBA regular season is officially slated to tip off on October 20.