Tuesday night marked a historic milestone for Riccardo Fois. The Olbia-born coach, now an assistant to Mike Brown on the New York Knicks staff, won the NBA Cup, the American league's midseason tournament. It was also a significant victory for the New York franchise, which hadn't won a title since 1973. In the final, the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 124-113, thanks to outstanding performances by OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson.
Raised in Santa Croce Olbia, Fois won the 2002 Scudetto Allievi (Academy of Youth) at a very young age alongside Gigi Datome. He subsequently chose to pursue a coaching career, quickly rising from entry-level roles in American colleges to prominent positions in international basketball. At Gonzaga, he served as director of analytics, contributing to a historic NCAA Final Four, and was part of the Italian national team's coaching staff, retained by Luca Banchi after his experience with Pozzecco.
His NBA debut came with the Phoenix Suns, followed by a new college basketball stint with Arizona. Last year, Fois returned to the NBA with the Sacramento Kings under Mike Brown, who also wanted him by his side in his new adventure in New York.
