Maurizio Gherardini
Encyclopedia
Maurizio 'Mo' Gherardini (born September 22, 1955) is an Italian
sportsman, currently vice president and an assistant general manager for the Toronto Raptors
NBA club.
. When he was in St. Louis
as an exchange student, he saw a vision of how a great basketball team should be handled. When he returned to his native country of Italy, Gherardini began translating important books about the game of basketball into Italian and distributed them out to basketball coaches around the country.
That’s not all Maurizio did though. He began the organization of basketball camps as well as clinics and also prepared the first ever coaches clinic in Europe. That coaches clinic brought such NBA legends as Detlef Schrempf
, Bob McAdoo, Hubie Brown
and Bill Walton
to Italy.
After nine years at the helm of Forlì, Gherardini left the team in 1992 to take over the most popular basketball
job in all of Europe
. He was hired as the general manager of Benetton Treviso
in 1992 and since then has molded that squad into one of the most familiar basketball clubs outside of the NBA.
Under the watchful eye of Gherardini, Benetton soared to four league championships (1997, 2002, 2003 and 2006), three Italian supercups (1997, 2001 and 2002), made four appearances in the Euroleague's final four (1993, 1998, 2002, and 2003), and helped them capture seven Italian Cups (1993–1995, 2000, 2003–2005).
Maurizio Gherardini has also developed the most sophisticated scouting system in the entire Euroleague. Not to mention he’s done it while being in control of one of the top basketball
teams in all of Europe. In fact Gherardini is so respected that NBA teams ask for his advice when it comes to selecting players out of Europe
.
general manager position. It was the first time in the history of the National Basketball Association that a non-American citizen has been interviewed for a top job on an NBA team. Although he was seriously considered for the job the Bobcats hired Bernie Bickerstaff
instead.
Former NBA basketball player and general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said that Maurizio Gherardini is one of the best general managers in the world and said that there is no doubt that Gherardini would make a great GM in the NBA.
as vice president and assistant general manager.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
sportsman, currently vice president and an assistant general manager for the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
NBA club.
Gherardini changes basketball
Gherardini is a former banker who forever changed basketball throughout EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. When he was in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
as an exchange student, he saw a vision of how a great basketball team should be handled. When he returned to his native country of Italy, Gherardini began translating important books about the game of basketball into Italian and distributed them out to basketball coaches around the country.
That’s not all Maurizio did though. He began the organization of basketball camps as well as clinics and also prepared the first ever coaches clinic in Europe. That coaches clinic brought such NBA legends as Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf is a retired German NBA basketball player.-High school and college career:...
, Bob McAdoo, Hubie Brown
Hubie Brown
Hubert Jude "Hubie" Brown is a retired American basketball coach and a current television analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors being separated by 26 years...
and Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
to Italy.
Maurizio Gherardini's basketball career
Maurizio Gherardini started his basketball career as a player playing on his hometown team of Forlì from 1971 to 1975. From there he went on to become an assistant coach for Forlì and was also a director of youth teams for the club. He held those roles from 1975-1982 when he was then promoted to be the teams general manager in 1983. Forlì was playing in the top league (Serie A) when Gherardini took over as GM.After nine years at the helm of Forlì, Gherardini left the team in 1992 to take over the most popular basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
job in all of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He was hired as the general manager of Benetton Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group...
in 1992 and since then has molded that squad into one of the most familiar basketball clubs outside of the NBA.
Under the watchful eye of Gherardini, Benetton soared to four league championships (1997, 2002, 2003 and 2006), three Italian supercups (1997, 2001 and 2002), made four appearances in the Euroleague's final four (1993, 1998, 2002, and 2003), and helped them capture seven Italian Cups (1993–1995, 2000, 2003–2005).
Maurizio Gherardini has also developed the most sophisticated scouting system in the entire Euroleague. Not to mention he’s done it while being in control of one of the top basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
teams in all of Europe. In fact Gherardini is so respected that NBA teams ask for his advice when it comes to selecting players out of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Interviewed by Charlotte
In 2003 Maurizio Gherardini was interviewed for the Charlotte BobcatsCharlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
general manager position. It was the first time in the history of the National Basketball Association that a non-American citizen has been interviewed for a top job on an NBA team. Although he was seriously considered for the job the Bobcats hired Bernie Bickerstaff
Bernie Bickerstaff
Bernard Tyrone "Bernie" Bickerstaff is an assistant coach for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Prior to the Trail Blazers, Bickerstaff was an assistant for the Chicago Bulls and Executive Vice President of the Charlotte Bobcats...
instead.
Former NBA basketball player and general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said that Maurizio Gherardini is one of the best general managers in the world and said that there is no doubt that Gherardini would make a great GM in the NBA.
Hired by Toronto
On June 22, 2006 Maurizio Gherardini was hired by the Toronto RaptorsToronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
as vice president and assistant general manager.