Messina hoping for a strong, healthy Italy at FIBA EuroBasket 2017

SAN ANTONIO (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Italy coach Ettore Messina will lead the national side for the second summer in a row when the Azzurri compete at FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

The veteran tactician has spoken to fiba.com.

It's been eight months since the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Turin, where Italy finished runners-up to Croatia and did not make it to the Rio de Janeiro Games.
Losing last summer during the qualification campaign for Rio 2016 was a huge upset for us. We were playing at home, we had a great opportunity but unfortunately we came up too short.

In international basketball, there is always an opportunity to bounce back.
Now, we have to focus on the next EuroBasket and try to have all the players available and healthy for this competition. I hope all the players will be in great physical condition and will come to play.

Italy are in Group B in Tel Aviv and will face Germany, Ukraine, Georgia, Lithuania and Israel. How does this group compare to the other three?
Every group is very balanced and every team can change the face of the tournament depending on who will play. Most of the teams have players in the NBA or guys that go through long European seasons, and all of a sudden some players can't compete and that changes completely the face of the team. For now, we just have to wait and see and hope that everyone will be healthy and available.

Messina will be hoping that Danilo Gallinari is on the EuroBasket roster

How do you monitor the progress of your national team players?
We have a good staff and it's a modern world. You can follow all the games you want. I don't have any problems following through the internet and seeing my players' performances. Ten years ago, it would have been more difficult, that's for sure.

What's the goal for Italy at the EuroBasket?
We would love to be among the top teams. To achieve this goal, we will need to play well and also have a bit of luck. We just hope for the best and to have a great campaign.

What happens after FIBA EuroBasket with the first window of the qualifying games for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 being in November?
When FIBA changed the schedule of the qualifications for the competition, I think that the different national federations will need to hire full-time head coaches. 

How would you evaluate the state of Italian basketball?
The league (Lega A) is very balanced, maybe with the exception of Olimpia Milan, there is a lot of balance between all the teams. Everything will go together with the ability to find resources and sponsors, but also with the possibility to have new arenas. I think that is one of the next challenges for the development of Italian basketball.

Four Italian clubs have played in the Basketball Champions League

What are you getting out of being on the coaching staff of an NBA team?
You learn every day because you are so lucky to work with these players, a great organization and most importantly with a coach like Gregg Popovich, who is absolutely at the top of the coaching world. He is a great leader for this team, a great coach and I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work here with the Spurs.

FIBA