Ettore Messina admits mistakes in Milan's roster, addresses Mirotic's adjustment / News - Basketnews.com

Ettore Messina took stock of Olimpia Milano's problematic season in the EuroLeague, admitting some of his own mistakes in the roster-building process.

Credit: Alfonso Cannavacciuolo/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Credit Alfonso Cannavacciuolo/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

For the second consecutive season, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan did not reach the EuroLeague playoffs. After finishing 2022-23 in 12th position with a balance of 15-19, this year the Italian team was close to the Play-In showdown but maintained the same place with the same number of wins and losses.

2-pointers this season

55%18,1Points made:18,1Accuracy:55,1%Place in standings:18Record max:27Record min:12Most made 2FGs:Nikola MiroticTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

One of the reasons for this drop after playing in the 2021 Final Four and reaching the playoffs in 2022 against Anadolu Efes was the problems in the point guard position, as Kevin Pangos, Naz Mitrou-Long, Maodo Lo and Shabazz Napier haven't been up to the task.

Speaking to La Repubblica's Luca Chiabotti, Ettore Messina admitted that the coaching staff "did not handle well what came after Sergio Rodríguez and Malcolm Delaney, who left Olimpia for different reasons."

"We didn't guarantee the same level in that position," he commented.

However, things could have been different with another American player on board, who was nonetheless unavailable for the most part of the season.

"But I wonder: what if we had had Billy Baron this year?" Messina asked.

"In some seasons you do everything right, while in others you make mistakes in a market where, except for very few clubs, it is difficult to keep important players for a while," he added.

In addition, the Italian tactician also referred to the incorporation of Nikola Mirotic to the team.

"We made the wrong decision with the point guard and we were stuck. I don't want to hide behind my finger: integrating a superstar like [Nikola] Mirotic to this team was not easy. We had some difficulties, which in many moments were then ironed out. We hope that in the final part of the season they won't appear again."

Ettore Messina added that he's feeling "very good" in Milan, which he called "a place that encourages you to do better every day."

With one game left in the Italian LBA regular season, Milano are second in the standings, tied 21-8 with leaders Virtus Bologna.

"There are more teams that can think about the title than last season, where we and Bologna were clearly one step ahead of the others," Messina claimed.

"It will be a hard-fought playoff right from the quarter-finals and, what's more, it will be back to a possible 5-game final and this is another notable difference.

As for us, the situation is similar to 2023, let's hope the final result is too. A year ago, we didn't know what kind of contribution Gigi Datome could give us in the playoffs, this time we have to understand the condition of Nikola Mirotic."

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