Sandro Gamba

Sandro Gamba

Gamba, circa 1960.
Personal information
Born	3 June 1932 (1932-06-03) (age 92) Milan, Italy
Listed height	6 ft 2.75 in (1.90 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
Playing career	1950–1965
Position	Small forward
Coaching career	1965–1992
Career history
As player:
1950–1963	Olimpia Milano
1963–1965	Milano 1958
As coach:
1965–1973	Olimpia Milano (assistant)
1973–1977	Varèse
1977–1980	Auxilium Torino
1979–1985	Italy
1985–1987	Virtus Bologna
1987–1992	Italy
Career highlights and awards
As player: 10× Italian League champion (1951–1954, 1957–1960, 1962, 1963) Italian Basketball Hall of Fame (2006) As head coach: 2× EuroLeague champion (1975, 1976) 2× FIBA European Selection (1991 2×) 2× Italian League champion (1974, 1977)
Basketball Hall of Fame as coach
Medals Men's Basketball Head coach Representing Italy Olympic Games 1980 Moscow EuroBasket 1985 West Germany 1983 France 1991 Italy

Alessandro "Sandro" Gamba (born 3 June 1932) is an Italian former professional basketball player and coach. Gamba was a finalist for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, and was elected as a member in 2006. He was inducted in 2006 to the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame.

Playing career

Clubs career

During his club career, Gamba spent most of his career with Olimpia Milano, they won ten LBA championships (1951–1954, 1957–1960, 1962–1963). He finished his career with Milano 1958.

Italy national team

Gamba debuted with the Italy national team in 1952 and captained at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games.

Coaching career

Gamba retired from playing in 1965, and became a coach in the top-tier level Italian professional league (LBA) where he coached teams like Olimpia Milano (assistant coach, 1965–1973), Varese (1973–1977), Auxilium Torino (1977–1980), and Virtus Bologna (1985–1987). He led Varese to two LBA championships (1974 and 1977), and two FIBA European Champions Cup (EuroLeague) titles (1975 and 1976).

From 1979 to 1992, except for a hiatus in 1985–1987, Gamba was the head coach of the Italy national team, and led them to a silver medal at the Summer Olympic Games in 1980, 1984, 1988, and 1992. He also coached the national team at the EuroBasket seven times, winning a gold in 1983, a bronze in 1985, and a silver in 1991.

He was selected as a coach of the FIBA European Selection teams in 1991. He also worked as the coach of the "Rest of the World" team, at the Nike Hoop Summit.

See also

• List of FIBA EuroBasket winning head coaches
• List of EuroLeague-winning head coaches

External links

• FIBA Player Profile 1
• FIBA Player Profile 2
• FIBA Europe Player Profile
• Basketball Hall of Fame Profile
• Italian League Coach Profile (in Italian)
• Alessandro Gamba at Olympics.com