NBA: Start with 2 billion, buy the Knicks

Chapter 54: The King of Europe is coming! The fiery Manu

"ok!"

"No problem, let's go try it!"

Neither of them backed down, because this was what they should do.

Preparing the management, discovering players, and poaching superstars, the off-season is all about these things.

And as a new army, they should quickly form a core team.

Sean Marks obviously knows who the assistant coach of the King of Europe mentioned by Jiang Chao is, and he also knows that it will be difficult to find because he is one of the Spurs' powerful "connections".

Stevens also knows it, because he is one of the well-known FIFA head coaches in the international basketball world. He has been in the NBA in recent years and everyone in their coaching circles knows about it.

Jiang Supernatural also knew what they were waiting for:

"Well, the position given to him is the chief assistant coach, and the salary is twice that of the Spurs. If two times is not enough, then three times."

"Okay!"

Sean Marks is just waiting for Jiang Chao. With these superior conditions as the foundation, it will be much easier for them to recruit people.

"Chief assistant coach! I don't think Ettore will refuse."

Stevens is also full of confidence. The European faction coach fits well with his egalitarian style of play and is someone he can talk to.

"Okay, then I'll see you tonight."

Jiang Chao left first, which was considered the first test for the two senior executives.

And he spent the entire afternoon taking a boat ride around the Holy City on the River Walk.

This is the route of the Spurs' championship parade. Jiang Chao wore sunglasses and had some afternoon tea. He picked up the notebook he carried with him, let the boat drift in the wind, wrote songs and looked at Mexican-style buildings. It was so comfortable.

It feels so good to let go of the shopkeeper.

…

That night.

When we gathered again in Sean Marks' dormitory, Jiang Chao already had an additional song on his notebook.

And they also brought a man who looked to be in his 50s, with short black hair and sunken eyes as promised.

Just the chief assistant Jiang Chao wants——

Ettore Messina.

He was also Manu Ginobili’s mentor before he came to the NBA.

Jiang Chao understood that it was because of Manu that no one disliked the way Pampas Condors played.

And why the two of them knew who the King of Europe was as soon as they heard it.

It's because in the coaching circle, this coach is invincible in Europe.

The Italian basketball coach has coached Bologna, Treviso, CSKA Moscow, Real Madrid and other European giants clubs, and led different teams to win the UEFA Champions League four times (1998, 2001, 2006, 2008).

Nine-time league champion!

He was elected European Coach of the Year once (1998).

Among them, Manu Ginobili, who went through Europe from 1999 to 2002, was Ettore Messina's favorite general.

Master and apprentice worked together to help the team win the Serie A championship in the 00-01 and 01-02 seasons, and Ginobili won the league MVP twice.

He was twice elected the UEFA Champions League Coach of the Year (2006, 2008), and in 2008 was named one of the top 10 head coaches in the history of the UEFA Champions League.

So if Manu is killing everyone in Europe as a player.

As a coach, Messina is a legendary figure who is unrivaled in high places in Europe.

Therefore, he decisively looked for a higher stage to learn and improve last year. Through the introduction of the intermediary Manu, he joined the Spurs coaching staff as the fourth assistant coach last year.

In front of him was the famous Spurs chief assistant Mike Budenholzer, who was also the championship coach who later led the Bucks to win the championship.

Another one is James Borrego. This 33-year-old second assistant coach is quite inspiring. He spent 7 years from video coordinator to assistant coach. Later, he was hired away by Jordan along with Parker to become the head coach of the Hornets.

Finally, Monty Williams, who was also produced by the Spurs and was drafted by the Knicks as a player, is now a coaching consultant.

Personally, Jiang Chao is not too cold about this head coach who will bring the sun up in later generations.

Because he was not good at coaching weak teams before, Jiang Chao always felt that it was Paul Booker who led him away, rather than him as the head coach. He belongs to the chicken soup group. From now on, he, the boss, can handle the chicken soup.

These three were later recruited as head coaches. This also shows how serious the Spurs' situation is. Spurs head coaches are blooming everywhere.

But Jiang Chao doesn’t know if it’s because Americans don’t like European basketball or if it’s a problem with the way European basketball is coached.

In NBA history, there has never been a coach born in Europe who played the role of head coach in NBA games.

And Messina has never changed jobs to become the head coach of any NBA team.

The first time was five or six years later when Popovich was ejected and Messina, the interim head coach, broke this record.

Moreover, as the top assistant coach of the Spurs, Messina never found a job in the NBA and could not survive the day when Popovich resigned. He had no choice but to return to Europe and was elected to the FIBA ​​Hall of Fame in his first year back.

Therefore, Messina's experience in the NBA is not very impressive. He has been suppressed by Popovich as the chief assistant coach for ten years.

But Jiang Chao didn't care about this. He only knew that this was an absolutely good prospect. After a few years, he became the chief assistant coach of the Spurs and won every game when the old man was absent. He also taught the Spurs players many European basketball concepts.

Confrontation, ball movement, open shots, and zone defense are all things that European coaches are best at.

This is also what Jiang Chao wants the players to learn.

Stevens also boasted the same, saying that if Messina became the head coach, his achievements would not be worse than Carlisle.* (There are some personal factors.)

He also expressed his local academic basketball concept and European basketball concept, joining forces to create a future and so on...

Of course, the main thing is Sean Marks.

The words he recruited struck home to Messina's heart.

One is that Popovich is strong and will not be dismissed easily. At the very least, he will have to coach for 10 years to strive for the best record in history. It is impossible for you to become a regular with the Spurs.

The second is that the Spurs are too strong, so strong that everyone will ignore the role of the coaching staff. He, including top shooting coach Chip, have been ignored by fans and insiders. Only the Spurs and Jiang Chao know how important they are.

So if you are the third assistant coach with the Spurs, you are basically invisible and will be kicked out sooner or later.

Jiang Chao actually wanted to recruit Chip, a shooting coach that ordinary teams would not find. But thinking about the players in the team in the future, forget it, they don’t need anyone else to teach them how to shoot. They all have poor shooting percentages.

Son.

The third thing is the guarantee given to him by Jiang Chao.

Max said that you will be sent away sooner or later, so you might as well come with me and go to a big market to show your talents. Everyone knows the Knicks' record. If the record improves, your value as the chief assistant coach will double.

I also gave him double the salary and promoted him to chief assistant coach. The conditions have been met!

"Our boss said there must be a Spurs coach, and it's you."

Sean Marks is also very good at talking. He didn't directly say that Jiang Chao must want him, for fear that he would raise the price or something. He meant that the Messina he recommended could also be replaced by Budenholzer or Borrego, with the

A touch of threat.

If you don't agree, I can find someone else!

So Messina agreed to come and meet with the boss before making a final decision.

Jiang Chao said to him chicken soup:

"Old man, your resume lacks an NBA championship. Let's win it together."

These words directly moved Messina's heart.

For the 60-year-old King of Europe, he doesn't have much time to wait. No one in the world doesn't like fame and fortune.

As a coach, he also wants to have NBA championship on his resume.

So facing these three young people in front of him, he seemed to be 30 years younger and full of fighting spirit!!

The Spurs are getting older and older, and following these three young people, maybe they can really make a breakthrough!!!

But in fact, Jiang Chao just said this, and the Spurs have actually been in the championship ranks.

"Signature or handprint?"

"It's okay if you draw a sketch."

Jiang Chao laughed. He was worthy of being a man from the birthplace of the Renaissance. He spoke so artistically.

Art is, explosion!

"Burn up, Knicks!!"