Sergio Scariolo · Biography

Sergio Scariolo, born in Brescia, Italy, on 1 April 1961, took charge of his first professional bench in 1989, at Victoria Libertas Pesaro in the Italian Serie A. A year later, in 1990, he won the scudetto with that team. From there he built a coaching career spread across Italy, Spain, Russia and the NBA, with two spells in charge of the Spain national basketball team, the second running from 2015 to 2025.

Early years in Brescia and Italy

Scariolo began coaching in 1980 in the minibasket ranks of his home town and later became assistant coach of Brescia’s first team. That apprenticeship opened the door to Pesaro, where he coached from 1989 to 1991 and won the 1990 Italian league. He then moved to Aurora Desio, from 1991 to 1993, and to Fortitudo Bologna, from 1993 to 1996, two spells without silverware that rounded off his Italian path before the jump to the Spanish league.

Baskonia, Real Madrid and Unicaja

In 1997 he joined TAU Vitoria, as Saski Baskonia was then known. In 1997-98 the team finished first in the regular season and reached the Liga ACB final, and in 1999 he won the Copa del Rey. That same summer he moved to Real Madrid, where he won the 1999-00 Liga ACB; in 2001 the club reached the Copa del Rey final and finished as league runner-up. He left Madrid in 2002 and in 2003 joined Unicaja Málaga, where he stayed for five seasons. With the Andalusian side he won the 2005 Copa del Rey and the 2005-06 Liga ACB, the club’s first league title.

Russia, Milan and a return to Vitoria

In December 2008 he took over Russian side Khimki, a post he held until December 2010. In June 2011 he returned to Italy to coach Olimpia Milano, reaching the Italian league play-off final in 2011-12; in 2012-13 the team went out in the quarter-finals. In 2013 he went back to Baskonia for a second spell that ended in 2014, when he terminated his contract at the end of the season.

Spain head coach: from Poland to London

The Spanish federation unveiled him as head coach on 4 February 2009. That summer Spain won EuroBasket in Poland, and in 2011 they retained the continental title in Lithuania. At the London 2012 Olympics the team took the silver medal. On 28 November 2012 Scariolo announced he was stepping down, and Juan Antonio Orenga succeeded him.

Second spell with Spain and the world title

On 7 May 2015 he was presented as head coach once again. That summer Spain won EuroBasket in France, and in 2016 they took bronze at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. At EuroBasket 2017 in Turkey they finished third. The biggest prize came in China in 2019, when Spain became world champions by beating Argentina 95-75 in the final. In 2022 they won another EuroBasket in Germany after defeating France in the final. Spain finished ninth at the 2023 World Cup, and his last tournament was EuroBasket 2025, where the team went out in the group stage.

Toronto Raptors and Virtus Bologna

In July 2018 he combined the Spain job with a role as assistant to Nick Nurse at the Toronto Raptors. In 2019 he was part of the staff that won the NBA championship, along with the Eastern Conference and division titles. On 26 February 2021 he coached the Canadian side in one game. That year, on 18 June 2021, he signed for Virtus Bologna, winning the Italian Supercup in 2021 and 2022 and the EuroCup on 11 May 2022. He was dismissed on 15 September 2023.

Return to Real Madrid

Real Madrid announced his return on 3 July 2025. In his only season, 2025-26, the team dominated the league’s regular season and reached the EuroLeague final, losing 92-85 to Olympiacos in Athens on 24 May 2026. In the Liga ACB play-offs they fell in the quarter-finals to La Laguna Tenerife. In July 2026 the club confirmed the end of his spell, which closed with a record of 58 wins and 28 defeats.