Sergio Rodriguez, Olimpia Milano re-embraces the Chacho
Holiday for Olimpia Milano
On Nov. 7 during halftime of the game between Olimpia Milano and Real Madrid, Sergio Rodriguez will officially become the 44th member of the club’s Hall of Fame. Rodriguez è arrived in Milan in the summer of 2019 staying there for three years. In those three seasons, Olimpia won the Scudetto in 2022, the Coppa Italia in 2021 and 2022, and the Supercoppa in 2020. With Rodriguez, Olimpia played the EuroLeague Final Four in 2021 and the playoffs of the same competition in 2022. Rodriguez has played 99 EuroLeague games with Olimpia. Also in EuroLeague, with 468 assists è first all-time in club history; with 169, è second in three-point baskets scored. In the league, with Olimpia he scored 860 points, with 166 threes and 163 assists. In the 2021/22 season, è he was co-captain of ’Olimpia.
Beyond the numbers and wins, Sergio Rodriguez è was one of the most beloved players in the club’s history, for his enthusiasm, leadership and ability to create empathy between the court and the stands. Coming to’Olimpia after winning his second EuroLeague in Moscow, Rodriguez literally changed the’image of modern Olimpia. There’s been an Olimpia before Rodriguez and one after Rodriguez. His arrival in Milan made possible the later arrivals of other legendary champions, starting with his former teammates Kyle Hines and Nikola Mirotic.
Leaving Olimpia in 2022 to return to his homeland, Rodriguez won his third EuroLeague in Madrid as a star player. He finished his EuroLeague career ranked third in games played (405), seventh in points scored (3,772), second in assists distributed (1,874) and third in triples scored (609). È was also EuroLeague MVP in 2014; first EuroLeague quintet in 2014, second quintet in 2018; World Champion with Spain in 2006; European Champion in 2015; Olympic silver medalist in 2012; Olympic bronze medalist in 2016; won four Spanish titles with Real Madrid; twice VTB League with CSKA Moscow; won the King’s Cup five times with Real; five times Spanish Super Cup; played in the NBA in Portland, Sacramento, New York and Philadelphia. In 2019 with Olimpia è he was named player of the month in the EuroLeague.
Olimpia’s Hall of Fame includes 43 inductees: Managers Adolfo Bogoncelli, Gianmario Gabetti and Raffaele Morbelli; coaches Cesare Rubini, Dan Peterson, Franco Casalini and Bogdan Tanjevic; Italian players Enrico Pagani, Sergio Stefanini, Romeo Romanutti, Sandro Gamba (also coach), Gianfranco Pieri, Sandro Riminucci, Paolo Vittori, Gabriele Vianello, Massimo Masini, Giulio Iellini, Pino Brumatti, Vittorio Ferracini, Renzo Bariviera, Franco Boselli, Vittorio Gallinari, Mike D’Antoni, Dino Meneghin, Roberto Premier, Riccardo Pittis, Flavio Portaluppi, Nando Gentile, Mason Rocca, Gigi Datome; foreign players Bill Bradley, Skip Thoren, Arthur Kenney, John Gianelli, Russ Schoene, Joe Barry Carroll, Bob McAdoo, Kenny Barlow, Rolando Blackman, Keith Langford, Kruno Simon, Rakim Sanders, Curtis Jerrells. All Hall of Fame members are eligible only after retirement from’activity, per company policy.
