Ettore Messina: I got a chance to join a legendary organization

Just a few days after I resigned from Real Madrid, San Antonio Spurs’ vice president of basketball operations Danny Ferry called and invited me to join the club for several days to observe practices and spend time with the team. Needless to say, I gladly accepted the invitation. It was a great opportunity to stay close to Coach Popovich and see how he was working with his players. Also, it was a chance for me to get to know how an NBA team functions from an insider’s perspective.

The time spent with the Spurs also let me reconnect with Manu Ginobili. Over the last 10 years we stayed in touch, but only via e-mail or phone, never having an opportunity to be in the same place at the same time. So I was happy to finally be able to hug him again.

The Spurs invited me to visit a camp for draft prospects in June and also to attend pre-draft interviews where NBA teams evaluate players’ personalities. All in all, that was shaping as an outstanding chance to see how an excellent organization like the Spurs arranged their decision-making process as to whom to draft.

Anyway, when I came back home I had a conversation with Mike Brown. He was going through the process of being interviewed by several teams for head coach position at that time and he let me know he wanted me to join his staff when the situation is resolved. It was a nice option to have – especially given the fact that I respect Mike a lot. Everyone at CSKA would tell he’s a great person from the two summer training camps he spent with us in Italy. Still, at that time I couldn’t say anything for sure, I just took my time to decide what’s best for me.

Later on I went to Israel to give a clinic organized by Wingate Institute and the Israeli League during its Final Four. During the clinic, Mike Brown called me and said he was in talks with Los Angeles Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss and could be offered a head coach position at the club some time soon. He asked if I was still interested in working with him as a consultant. That was a great scenario. Besides working with Mike, I was getting a chance to join a legendary organization. Moreover, the consultant position offered some flexibility in terms of travelling back home once in a while. On top of that, it was a chance to really focus on areas I’m most interested in at the moment – preparation, practices an analysis of games. All in all, I was getting an opportunity to step back a little after 22 years of coaching, while remaining connected to the game at its highest level and being able to learn form a great coach at a great organization and work with some of the finest players in the world. It’s a two-year contract and I’m really enthusiastic about this new experience.

As far as job description is concerned, I’ll be heavily involved in the team’s preparation and practices while sitting behind the bench during games. It’s a chance for me to concentrate on the game itself and I’m really thankful to Mike Brown and the Lakers for that.