Luca Banchi has been appointed Olimpia’s head coach the first of July in 2013. He’s the head coach number 20 in the history of the club and also the first to be named immediately after winning the Italian Championship.

HIS CAREER – Luca Banchi was born in Grosseto on August 1, 1965. He started his career by coaching in the Grosseto youth teams, then moved to the Italian Armed Forces team as an assistant coach. In 1986/87 he was Affrico Firenze’s assistant coach and youth teams responsible. In 1988 Massimo Faraoni called him to Don Bosco Livorno, an organizzation specialized in youth activities. There, he won three straight Junior Championships (1995, 1996 e 1997) producing Serie A players like the Gigena brothers,  Samuele Podestà, Walter Santarossa, Daniele Parente. In 1997 he was promoted to the first-team as head coach. In two years he led it to two playoffs finals for the promotion, but lost both against Imola and Trieste (he also coached Brad Miller, during the 1988 NBa’s lockout, and the center then had a stellar career appearing also in an All-Star Game). Trieste called him to coach its team after the promotion. Banchi led Trieste to the playoffs in his first season there, but the second one is very unlucky and he didn’t finish it. Banchi returned to Livorno for three more Serie A seasons. In 2004/05 he moved to Trapani in A2, in 2005/06 he signed for Jesi where he made it to the playoffs, launching also Romain Sato. The latter followed him the next summer in Siena, where he became Simone Pianigiani’s assistant coach. As an assistant he won sixth consecutive championships, four Italy Cups, five Supercups and twice Siena made it to the Euroleague Final Four. In the 2012 summer he was named Siena’s head coach. He won the Italy Cup and also the Italian championship. In the Italin league right now he’s the only one who won the championship along Carlo Recalcati. Totally, he’s won 7 senior championships, 3 junior championships, 5 Italy Cups, 5 Supercups, In all it’s 20 trophies.

NOTES – Luca Banchi has been twice named Junior National team assistant coach, in 1995 at the World Championships in Greece and in 1996 at the European Championships in France. He also coached the Under 20 National Team, the B-team at the Mediterranean Game and he also led the Military National Team to a World Championship silver medal…. In 2010/11 in Siena he coached Malik Hairston… Married with Silvia, they have two childrens, Margherita and Alessandro… He was also named A2 Coach of the Year in Livorno

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