After dedicating over two decades to shaping one of Italy`s most storied basketball clubs, Olimpia Milano, assistant coach Mario Fioretti embarks on a new chapter. At 52, he sheds the familiar role of a strategic architect from the sidelines to embrace the demanding mantle of head coach for the ambitious Derthona Basket Tortona. It`s a journey from the quiet dedication of an indispensable aide to the direct responsibility of a leader, a narrative woven with passion, patience, and a deep understanding of the game.
A Legacy Forged in Milan
For 22 years, Fioretti was more than just an assistant at Olimpia Milano; he was, in many ways, the club`s enduring spirit. Arriving in 2003, fresh out of an economics degree, he witnessed and contributed to Milano`s ascent from challenging seasons to becoming a powerhouse. Under his watchful eye and strategic mind, the team secured six Scudetti, four Italian Cups, five Supercoppas, and even reached the EuroLeague Final Four in 2021. He served alongside a veritable who`s who of Italian and international coaching legends, including Ettore Messina, Attilio Caja, Sergio Scariolo, and the iconic Dan Peterson.
Fioretti`s tenure spanned multiple eras, seeing the club transition from humble beginnings at the PalaLido to the grandeur of the Forum, and eventually benefiting from the visionary leadership of Giorgio Armani. His recollections paint a picture of relentless ambition, from the early days when missing the playoffs felt like a potential death knell, to the jubilant triumph of the first Scudetto in 2014—a victory he describes as a profound “liberation” after 11 years of striving.
The Bobby Knight Foundation
Before his illustrious career in Milan, Fioretti`s basketball education began across the Atlantic, in an almost improbable encounter with one of basketball`s most legendary and famously intimidating figures: Bobby Knight. In 1999, armed with an unyielding passion for college basketball and a fortunate contact, Fioretti sent a fax to Indiana University. To his astonishment, Knight himself responded, inviting him to spend a season observing the team. “I was present at all home games, they took me to the closest away games, and I saw a giant up close for the whole year,” Fioretti recounts. This foundational experience included witnessing a Final Four and subsequent summers working at Knight`s camps, an education that undoubtedly instilled a disciplined and meticulous approach to the game.
The Armani Touch and Unspoken Regrets
The arrival of fashion mogul Giorgio Armani proved to be a pivotal moment for Olimpia Milano. Fioretti remembers the “epochal leap” of 2004, when the club, bolstered by new investments and high-profile signings, narrowly missed a Scudetto. He vividly recalls the palpable presence and charisma of Armani himself, a man whose personal support extended even to the locker room after a crushing Coppa Italia semi-final defeat in 2012. It was a testament to a partnership that elevated Olimpia back to national prominence.
Yet, even amidst such success, a professional pang remains. When asked about his regrets, Fioretti points to the 2021 EuroLeague Final Four semi-final against Barcelona. “Just one made basket or one not taken, and we would have been in the final,” he laments. The ultimate European crown, despite Milano`s ascent to its doorstep, remains the one elusive triumph.
From “Spielberg” to Head Coach: The Tortona Chapter
It was Dan Peterson, upon his return to coach Olimpia in 2011, who bestowed upon Fioretti the affectionate moniker of “our Spielberg.” Peterson lauded Fioretti`s uncanny ability to distill complex team situations into concise, impactful video clips—a skill that belied his often-understated role. Now, at 52, Fioretti steps fully into the director`s chair, taking the helm at Derthona Basket Tortona, a club with burgeoning ambitions and state-of-the-art facilities.
The move wasn`t an easy decision for a man who contemplated spending his entire career within the same club. But Tortona presented an irresistible opportunity: a solid ownership, visionary management, and an “avant-garde” facility that would make any basketball enthusiast`s heart race. Fioretti`s transition is marked by a newfound challenge: delegating tasks he once performed, and navigating the increased media exposure that comes with the head coaching role. “I find myself having to delegate things I used to do,” he muses, a subtle nod to the shifting dynamics of his new leadership position.
What will he bring from the “Olimpia soul” to Tortona? “Making actions speak louder than words, and creating a working group where everyone is concerned with doing things, and doing them well,” he states. His personal contributions? “Passion, first and foremost. And honesty.”
The Italian Serie A season kicks off with Tortona facing his beloved Olimpia Milano, a poetic full-circle moment. While he predicts Milano and Bologna to be the strongest contenders for the Scudetto, Fioretti acknowledges the rising strength of the league, ready to see where Tortona fits into this evolving landscape. For a man who began his journey with a seemingly unsuccessful interview and spent decades meticulously crafting success from the shadows, Mario Fioretti`s emergence as a head coach is a testament to the quiet power of unwavering dedication—and perhaps, a subtle, well-deserved irony in a game that often celebrates flash over substance.
Wesley Dunham