Sergio Scariolo is open to coaching at the club level again, eyeing EuroLeague or the NBA’s potential European expansion. While a return to the NBA as a head coach seems unlikely, he’s eager for new challenges beyond his Spanish NT role.
Sergio Scariolo has not coached a club since he abruptly left the bench of Virtus Bologna in 2023 with two Super Cups under his belt.
In an interview with La Repubblica, the Italian coach was asked whether his change of representation (his agent now is Misko Raznatovic) means that he's looking for a job at the club level.
"I wouldn't necessarily connect the change of agent with the search for something," he replied.
"However, it is true that there is a perfect possibility of combining the role of the national team coach with that of club coach and I have to say that, after a season and a half, I miss that kind of daily dynamic a bit," the play-caller of the Spanish NT admitted.
"The idea of playing for medals will return to our plans from the next Olympic cycle, from 2029. In fact, I'm surprised that we've managed to remain competitive in the last tournaments, even winning a World Cup and a EuroBasket starting from the 8th or 9th position in the rankings," he argued.
After winning silver at the Olympics in 2008 and 2012, Scariolo has still some personal goals on his bucket list.
"It would be easy to say the EuroLeague," he said.
"But as the NBA prepares to land in Europe with a new competition, I'm definitely curious to look in that direction too. I still have a lot of energy both physically and mentally. I'm not looking at a short-term finish," the experienced Italian coach pointed out.
Asked if he could return to the NBA, where he won a championship ring with Toronto as an assistant, Scariolo said that a lot of things would have to come together for that to happen.
"I had an opportunity and it didn't come to fruition when I was a finalist for the head coaching position in Toronto two years ago," Scariolo recalled of the moment he lost that race to Darko Rajakovic.
"I don't think there's another franchise that would consider hiring me for the job. And the assistant role doesn't appeal to me anymore."
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