Top 10 all-time best Euroleague coaches

Over the 25 seasons of its modern era, nine teams and 13 different coaches have lifted the EuroLeague trophy. A plurality of styles and a diversity of stories make this period particularly rich. A complex Top 10, based on the following criteria listed in order of importance: conditions of their achievements, longevity, honours and legacy.

10) David Blatt : Born across the Atlantic, David Blatt knows Europe like the back of his hand. One of the most successful coaches in the competition, he is best known as the architect of one of the greatest achievements in recent years. Facing CSKA Moscow, Barcelona and Real Madrid, he caused a sensation with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Voted Coach of the Year in 2014, David Blatt has cemented his name in the history books of FIBA’s premier competition. His combination of tactical intelligence and offensive creativity allows any team to constantly improve under his leadership. However, the American coach has generally performed better in Europe than in the EuroLeague, which prevents him from achieving a higher ranking.

9) Pablo Laso : He is the man who restored Real Madrid to its former glory. Absent for almost the entire first decade of the millennium, Real Madrid Baloncesto relied on Pablo Laso to win La Décima. To achieve this, the Spanish coach imposed a new, faster style of play based on aggression and personal initiative. A framework that was as rigid as it was flexible, synonymous with two consecutive lost finals, before finally lifting the EuroLeague in 2015 and then in 2018. Mission accomplished for the two-time winner of the Alexander Gomelsky Trophy. In the midst of a crisis of confidence, he was not afraid to hand the keys to the truck to stars such as Sergio Lull, Serge Ibaka and Luka Doncic. Chus Mateo will follow in his footsteps when the Blancos triumph in 2023. However, his flops at Bayern Munich and then Baskonia cast a shadow over this incredible picture.

8) Pini Gershon : 4 Final Fours, 3 finals, 2 victories and 1 back-to-back. That’s Pini Gershon’s record in the modern era of the EuroLeague. If it hadn’t been for one year, he could have added another trophy to his tally in this ranking. The Tel Aviv native is still the first head coach to have won two consecutive titles in the modern era. A feat that only Ergin Ataman would achieve 16 years later. The architect of the first team to dominate the competition, the Israeli coach took Maccabi Tel Aviv to the top with a style of play modelled on the only two-time MVP in history: Anthony Parker. Outside of Israel, he also performed well, leading Olympiacos to the play-offs twice. However, his return home did not go as planned. A lack of longevity at the highest level resulted in an eighth-place finish.

7) Dimitris Itoudis : Zeljko Obradovic’s right-hand man during Pana’s five titles between 1999 and 2012, Dimitris Itoudis was trained at a very, very good school. And after a stint at Bandırma Banvit, the Greek immediately took the plunge onto the bench at CSKA Moscow. Arriving in 2014 – six years after the Russians’ last triumph – he built the ultra-dominant CSKA team from scratch in the second half of the decade. His highly structured basketball style fits perfectly with the club’s philosophy. With the duo of De Colo and Higgins under his command, he lifted the EuroLeague trophy twice and was named Coach of the Year. His longevity at the highest level is impressive, because apart from a lacklustre spell at Fenerbahçe, Dimitris Itoudis is still excelling today at Hapoël Tel Aviv.

6) Georgios Bartzokas : He is the only coach with one EuroLeague title to have won three Coach of the Year awards, and he did so within a span of ten years. Consistency at the highest level, an ability to maximise his teams’ potential, knowledge of how to win… Georgios Bartzokas is the archetype of a methodical team coach who knows how to evolve with the times. From the play-offs with Maroussi in 2012 to the throne of consistency with the Greek team, via Lokomotiv Kuban’s first Final Four. Everywhere he has been, he has impressed. Notably by leading Olympiacos to back-to-back titles in 2013, when he had the daunting task of taking over from Dusan Ivkovic. However, that single EuroLeague title prevents him from entering the Top 5 of this ranking, despite his ability to remain at the top of his game year after year.

5) Xavi Pascual : Perhaps the greatest strategist in modern EuroLeague history? If FC Barcelona is the most consistent team of the millennium, it is largely thanks to Xavi Pascual. Around his virtuoso Juan Carlos Navarro, the Catalan built a team capable of adapting to each of its opponents in order to punish them more effectively. Between his debut as an assistant in 2005 and his victory as head coach in 2010, Barcelona always finished the regular season in the Top 8. This was followed by a difficult period at Panathinaikos. With a squad in constant decline since the departure of Dimitris Diamantidis, he came close to reaching the Final Four on two occasions. This was an honourable performance given the achievements of his successors. Back on the Blaugrana bench, Xavi Pascual has the opportunity to add to his legacy, and more specifically to his trophy cabinet, which has cost him the podium.

4) Dusan Ivkovic : With Dusan Ivkovic as head coach, every player was virtually guaranteed to maximise their potential. A coach since 1980, his performances in the modern era of the EuroLeague can be seen as the final sprint of his career. It was a more than successful last dance, as his presence on the bench of a team consistently marked the beginning of a period of domination. Just before the Russian club’s four consecutive finals, the Serbian laid the foundations for CSKA Moscow. The same was true ahead of Anadolu Efes’ historic back-to-back wins. But Dusan Ivkovic remains best known for his huge achievement with Olympiacos in 2012, when he defied all the odds with a young and largely inexperienced team. He paved the way for three different clubs in just over a decade. The legacy is there, but his record – both collective and individual – means he cannot compete with the members of our podium.

3) Ergin Ataman : ‘There is an Anadolu Efes before and after Ergin Ataman.’ This sentence from our Top 10 all-time EuroLeague teams perfectly illustrates the significance of the Turkish coach’s achievements. It is undoubtedly the most sensational entry in our ranking. Just five years ago, he had no titles to his name. Today, he has three EuroLeague titles with two different clubs, including the most dominant back-to-back wins of this millennium. From Micic to Nunn, Ergin Ataman has built an ‘NBA-compatible’ game plan around these MVPs. In addition, his unusual and skilful rotations have made him a REVOLUTIONARY coach. Currently at Panathinaikos, the Turkish coach has everything he needs to take second place in the coming years. With a little more longevity and a few more trophies, the three-time Coach of the Year could even take the top spot in our ranking.

2) Ettore Messina : Winner of the first edition of the modern era of the EuroLeague, Ettore Messina is a true mastermind. Already a champion with Virtus Bologna in 1998, the Italian tactician added another line to his European honours list before heading to Russia. At CSKA, he was at the helm of the only team to reach four consecutive finals. With two victories and two Coach of the Year titles, he ended Moscow’s 35-year drought. With 11 appearances in the Final Four, Ettore Messina ended his career by reviving Olimpia Milan with the best all-time record in a single season (19 wins and 9 losses). He ticks all the boxes to take first place in this ranking. But standing in his way is quite simply the undisputed GOAT !

1) Željko Obradović : The Lord of the Rings, the man with nine EuroLeague titles, five of which were won since 2000. Željko Obradović is THE coach of the millennium, without a doubt. First at Panathinaikos, where he transformed this club, which was almost insignificant on the continental scene, into an unstoppable war machine. His unparalleled tactical flexibility was complemented by Diamantidis, Jasikevicius, Batiste and Spanoulis. The result: four trophies in less than ten years. After dominating the Old Continent in Greece, he replicated his performances in Turkey, where he made history. Inducted in 2015, the Serbian led Fener to the EuroLeague Final Four in his first season. And after reaching the Final Four again the following year, Fenerbahçe won Turkey’s first EuroLeague title in 2017 against Olympiacos. Anywhere, against anyone, he won again and again.