Hawks reportedly adding European coaching legend Ettore Messina as consultant

The Hawks are reportedly adding one of international basketball’s most accomplished coaches to their organization.

Specifically, Ettore Messina will join Atlanta as a consultant, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops, who cited a report from Walter Fuochi of La Repubblica.

The move reunites Messina with Hawks coach Quin Snyder. Snyder previously worked as an assistant under Messina with CSKA Moscow before beginning his NBA coaching career.

Messina, who turns 67 later this month, is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in European basketball history. He has won four EuroLeague championships, reached the EuroLeague Final Four 12 times and earned EuroLeague Coach of the Year honors twice.

He has also won seven championships in Italy’s top league and six in Russia.

Messina does have NBA experience. He served as a Lakers consultant during the 2011-12 season, then spent five years as Gregg Popovich’s lead assistant with the Spurs from 2014-19.

Most recently, Messina coached Olimpia Milano in his native Italy before leaving the club this summer. His new arrangement with Atlanta is expected to allow him to remain in Italy at least part of the time while also working as a television analyst for Sky Sports.

Exactly what Messina’s consulting duties will entail remains unclear. Still, adding an experienced basketball voice with longstanding ties to Snyder certainly can’t hurt.