There is no clearer example. A coach can wield more influence over a team than a single star player. Sergio Scariolo has proven this in European basketball, guiding Spain even when outsiders overlooked them as title contenders. Entering the Berlin final with seven rookies in international play, his team surged to become four-time European champions, earning unanimous praise for their confident, imaginative victory over France. This Italian coach has moved toward the center of the game’s leadership circle.
“Scariolo has a rare ability to stay connected with players while also signaling that he is the team’s captain,” says Jorge Garbajosa, the federation president. “That balance is easy to describe and very challenging to implement, and it is a central factor in the team’s sustained success.”
In Spanish sporting history, no coach stands up to Scariolo when measured by impact and longevity. Since taking the helm in 2009, replacing Aíto, he has built a career marked by a dazzling track record that culminated in the dramatic 2022 EuroBasket triumph. That victory remains a landmark moment for fans who followed the journey with pride.
“This win ranks among the great surprises in recent sport,” Scariolo noted in a wide-ranging interview. “It was not easy for a team seeded eighth to go on and win the tournament.”
fluke
Defeating France, a squad boasting seven NBA players and obvious favorites, added to Scariolo’s legacy. He collected his fifth EuroBasket medal, adding to four continental championships from 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2022, plus bronze in 2017. His achievements place him among the all-time greats who shaped European basketball, alongside masters such as Dusan Ivkovic and Aleksandar Nikolic. The record, complemented by a 2019 world championship in China, Olympic silver in London, and a Rio bronze, cements Scariolo as a truly global figure on the court.
The period saw the Gasol brothers stepping back and several key players facing injuries or leaving the squad. Rafael Rubio, Claver, Abrines, Abalde, and Mirotic each faced different challenges, leaving veteran Rudy Fernández as the elder statesman of the team. Supported by Willy and Juancho Hernángómez from the Golden Generation, the group faced upheaval, and at times even sparked talks about naturalizing the American point guard Lorenzo Brown to fill gaps.
Yet sport has a way of surprising even the best-laid plans. Even with the favorites faltering—Sabonis’s Lithuania, Doncic’s Slovenia, Jokic’s Serbia, Antetokounmpo’s Greece—Spain remained steady under Scariolo. The team delivered a standout performance against France in the final, clinching the European championship and leaving a lasting imprint on the sport’s social memory.
Looking back, the arc of Scariolo’s career reads as a blueprint for modern leadership in basketball. He has balanced tactical acumen with an ability to cultivate trust within a squad, turning potential into performance and pressure into purpose. His work continues to be studied by teams across Europe and beyond, a reminder that coaching is as much about culture as it is about plays.
There is no clearer illustration of leadership in Spain’s basketball history than the arc of Scariolo’s influence. From the early days to the present, his impact has extended beyond wins and medals, shaping the way teams think about preparation, resilience, and shared purpose. The narrative of his career remains a reference point for those who believe that team chemistry, guided by a steady hand, can outweigh individual star power in the pursuit of greatness.