Ettore Messina bashes basketball calendar, talks roster construction / News - Basketnews.com

Messina said the players are the ones who suffer the most throughout the year. He noted the upcoming season will be the first when all players will be available for teams, contrary to previous years. According to Messina, there are only 30-35 top players in Europe, the others are uncertain.

Credit: /IPA/SIPA - Scanpix Credit /IPA/SIPA - Scanpix

Despite a significant change in the calendar, when EuroLeague players could freely represent their respective national teams in February, uncertainties still remain. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan's head coach, Ettore Messina, is highly critical of it.

Free throws this season

76%11,2Points made:11,2Accuracy:76,4%Place in standings:17Record max:21Record min:5Most made FTs:Nikola MiroticTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Messina gave an interview to Discovery, where he emphasized the current problems the players and teams face.

"These guys play 80-90 games. Then most of them go to play for the national teams in the summer. The Federations rightly want their [calendar] spaces, the national championships want their spaces, the EuroLeague wants its spaces. If everyone wants their space, those who no longer have space in the end are the players," Messina said.

"The number of injuries has risen exponentially. I'll add one [other] aspect," the legendary specialist continued. "This is the first year, with the exception of the summer during COVID, in which the teams will have the opportunity to finally do some preparation [for the season] with all the players, given that the Olympic will end in mid-August."

Up until this season, multiple EuroLeague teams suffered at least some inconveniences during the international tournament, as both players and members of the coaching staff left the clubs to work in the national teams.

"Until today, however, you'd build an important roster, spend a lot of money, and then some players would still be away in September. So you can't prepare with the whole team. We wait for the day when the problem is solved wisely," Messina said. "Everyone will necessarily have to give up something, so we can have a more balanced situation. That is, fewer injuries and less tired players, and hence an improved product in all competitions."

In addition to being unable to fully prepare for the upcoming season, EuroLeague teams encountered another difficulty in their lives - a lackluster players market.

Multiple teams have been searching for additions to the roster only to sign players from lower levels of the basketball hierarchy.

"The number of already proven players is around 30-35 who are older on average and who cost a lot. It's also because the NBA's fishing a lot. The others are bets," the specialist said. "By definition, they either go well or they go badly. We've had years when we got a lot [of decisions] right, and others when we were right less. Mistakes are made while scouting, talking, informing, and we can't find them in the end."

"Athleticism is a big thing, as is having dangerous shooters. As such, the courts have become smaller, and you have increasingly bigger bodies in front of you. If you don't have outside shooting, it makes your life very complicated. It's not easy. You make mistakes, and you have to navigate through this as well," Messina concluded.

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