Ettore Messina ready to coach Turkey

The Turkish Basketball Federation is in the final stages of talks with famed coach Ettore Messina over coaching the national team. The Italian would take charge of Turkey before the FIBA EuroBasket 2013 which will be held in Slovenia and would guide them through the tournament.

As one of the most prolific and respected coaches in European and world Basketball, Messina needs no introduction. The 53-year old Italian has won everything in the European game including personal and team honours. He is currently in charge at CSKA Moscow (Russia PBL, VTB, and Euroleague). His CSKA team are currently comfortable at the top of the Russian PBL with a 10-1 record, while they also lead Group B of the VTB League and sit second in Group E in the Euroleague.

Messina has also coached Virtus Bologna (Italy), Benetton Treviso (Italy, Serie A), Real Madrid (Spain, ACB) and Los Angeles Lakers during 2012 (as an assistant to Mike Brown). Guiding Turkey in the European Championships will mark Ettore Messina’s second stint as a national coach after he guided Italy between 1993 and 1997.