NBA Rumors: Mike Budenholzer, Ettore Messina Meeting with Bucks About HC Job
Former Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer and San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina are reportedly meeting with Milwaukee Bucks ownership Tuesday about the team's head coaching vacancy.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the update and noted the discussions are taking place in New York.
Budenholzer, one of the most popular candidates in the coaching carousel, has displayed "significant interest" in both the Bucks and Toronto Raptors job, per Wojnarowski.
The 48-year-old Arizona native compiled a 213-197 record and four postseason appearances across five years as the Hawks' head coach. The sides parted ways last month following a 24-58 campaign.
Budenholzer previously served as an assistant under Gregg Popovich with the Spurs from 1996 through 2013.
That's a position currently held by Messina, who joined the San Antonio staff in 2014.
The 58-year-old Italian spent the majority of his first 25 coaching years overseas, highlighted by four EuroLeague championships, before joining the Spurs. He did spend time with the Los Angeles Lakers as a consultant during the 2011-12 season.
In February 2017, he talked on The Vertical Podcast (via Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com) about potentially becoming an NBA head coach.
"I would be honored if that happens, and I would be honored as a European; as a person that has coached for many years in the EuroLeague and has worked together with a lot of European coaches," Messina said. "That would be a great honor. But at the same time, I'm aware that it's something I cannot control."
The Bucks are conducting the coaching search after firing Jason Kidd in January. Joe Prunty served in an interim role for the rest of the season.
