MILAN (Italy) - FIBA Hall of Famer Dino Meneghin had his No. 11 jersey retired by Olimpia Milano in a wonderful ceremony at the Mediolanum Forum on Tuesday night.

The occasion, eagerly anticipated since October 28 when Olimpia declared the home date against Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 19 to be Dino Meneghin Night, took place at half-time of the contest. 

The Israeli outfit was the team Meneghin led Milan to victory against in the 1987 and 1988 FIBA European Champions Cup Finals.

Tuesday's events allowed everyone to pause and remember the career of one of Italy's most beloved sportsmen. The ceremony was attended by FIBA Europe President, Turgay Demirel, President of the Italian Basketball Federation, Giovanni Petrucci and other basketball dignitaries. Over 50 former teammates and coaches, including FIBA Hall of Famers Sandro Gamba and Pier Luigi Marzorati were also present. 

When Meneghin joined Milano before the 1981-82 season, he had already established himself as one of the best players on the old continent. He appeared in 10 consecutive FIBA European Cup for Men’s Champion Clubs Finals and with his first club, Pallacanestro Varese, won five of them and also two with Milano. 

His new team, Olimpia, jumped on the big man's back and appeared in eight consecutive Italian league finals and won five of them.

Meneghin graced the court with some of the biggest names in the sport like his Milan teammates Bob McAdoo and Mike D'Antoni. He played for the iconic coach, Dan Peterson.

In 1987, Milano had its finest hour with Meneghin leading the team to a Grand Slam, which consisted of title triumphs in the European Champions Cup, the Coppa Italia, the FIBA Intercontinental Cup and the Italian league.

Meneghin experienced many highs as an Olimpia Milano player, including when he was afforded the chance to compete against his son, Andrea, who was just embarking on his own professional career as a teen.

Much of Meneghin's legend is owed to his time with Italy's national team, which he first played for as a teenager.

"WHEN YOU PLAY FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM YOU HAVE ANOTHER MENTAL APPROACH, ANOTHER PRESSURE. YOU DON'T PLAY FOR THE FANS OF A TEAM, YOU PLAY FOR EVERYONE, EVEN FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT BASKETBALL FANS."- Meneghin

A FIBA EuroBasket 1983 winner with Italy, Meneghin, who played in 10 EuroBaskets, also competed at four Olympics and two World Cups. He won a silver medal at the 1980 Moscow Games.

Nothing was more important to Meneghin than representing his country, something he revealed in an interview on olimpiamilano.com in the build-up to Tuesday's celebration.

"When you play for the national team you have another mental approach, another pressure," he said. "You don't play for the fans of a team, you play for everyone, even for those who are not basketball fans. I understood the importance of the national team the first time I played in Mannheim, Germany (now the Albert Schweitzer Tournament).

"I went there a little recklessly, but I saw this gym packed with Italian workers abroad. They had the flags, they were all dressed well, (wearing) ties, looked like a wedding.

Meneghin represented Italy on numerous occasions

"We won the tournament and they took us off in triumph. I still have a photo of me being carried, thin as a nail, by two fans.

"Then the next day we had to get back on the train and they (Italian fans) took us to the station with flowers. While we were leaving, they greeted us crying and told us to say goodbye to Italy, which they were missing very much.

"Since then, when I went abroad I looked for the tricolor flags and I thought I should play for those people. In the national team, you have the moral weight to represent a nation."

Meneghin, who has always remained active in the sport and even served as president of his country's basketball federation, was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2010. He has been a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame since 2003.

FIBA