Giancarlo Primo

Giancarlo Primo
Personal information
Born	November 4, 1924; Rome, Italy
Died	December 27, 2005 (aged 81); Civita Castellana, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Career information
Playing career	1947–1957
Position	Shooting guard
Coaching career	1956–1989
Career history
As player:
1947–1957	Società Ginnastica Roma
As coach:
1956–1957	Società Ginnastica Roma
1958–1968	Italy Women
1968–1979	Italy
1980–1982	Pielle Livorno
1982–1983	Pallacanestro Cantù
1983–1984	UG Goriziana
1984–1985	Libertas Livorno
1987–1989	Virtus Roma
Career highlights and awards
	As head coach: FIBA Order of Merit (2001); FIBA Intercontinental Cup champion (1982); EuroLeague champion (1983); 3× FIBA European Selection (1974–1976); Italian Basketball Hall of Fame (2008); Gold Star for Sports Merit (Italy) (1998);
	FIBA Hall of Fame
Representing Italy
Men’s Basketball Head Coach
FIBA EuroBasket

Giancarlo Primo (November 4, 1924, Rome – December 27, 2005, Civita Castellana, Italy) was an Italian professional basketball player and coach. He was a coach of the FIBA European Selection team in 1974, 1975, and 1976. In 2001, he was awarded the FIBA Order of Merit. In 2007, he was enshrined into the FIBA Hall of Fame, and in 2008, he was inducted into the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame.

Club playing career

During his club playing career, Primo played with Società Ginnastica Roma.

As a player of the senior Italian national team, Primo participated at the EuroBasket 1947, the 1948 Summer Olympic Games, the EuroBasket 1949, and the 1951 Mediterranean Games, where he won a bronze medal.

From 1968 to 1979, he was the head coach of the senior Italian men's national team, winning bronze medals at the EuroBasket 1971, and the EuroBasket 1975. He coached Italy at the: 1972 Summer Olympic Games, the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, the 1970 FIBA World Championship, the 1978 FIBA World Championship, and 6 EuroBasket tournaments. In total, he coached Italy in 238 games. While he was coaching the senior Italian national team, Italy defeated, for the first time, both the United States, at the 1970 FIBA World Championship, and the Soviet Union, at the 1977 EuroBasket.

After 1979, he coached the club teams: Livorno (1980–1982), Cantù (1982–1983, winning the FIBA Intercontinental Cup and the FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague)), SB Gorizia (1983–1984), O.T.C. Livorno (1984–1985), and Virtus Roma (1987–1989).