Giancarlo Primo

After starting his sporting career as a water polo player, Giancarlo Primo switched to basketball and, with the Ginnastica Roma team, was runner-up in the national league in 1951 and 1952. He made his international début at the 1947 European Championships in Praha, and went on to win 37 caps and score 63 points.

After retiring as a player, Primo turned to coaching. He was assistant to the national coach Nello Paratore and, during his time in that position, appeared at five European Championships and three Olympic Games (1960, 1964 and 1968). After the Mexico Olympics, Primo was appointed the Italian coach and, in his 11 years in charge, won bronze medals at the 1971 Essen and 1975 Belgrade European Championships. He also led Italy to two famous wins, 66-64 against the USA in the 1970 World Championships, and against the Soviet Union in 1977. A drop in the last second of the bronze medal match against Cuba at the 1972 München Olympics denied Italy a podium finish. A similar thing happened in the match against Brazil at the 1978 World Championships, when an 86-85 defeat cost them a bronze medal.

As a coach of Pallacanestro Cantù, Primo won the 1982 European Cup and Intercontinental Cup. He eventually retired after the 1988/89 season and was awarded the “Stella d’Oro“ (Gold Star) by the Italian Olympic Committee, for his sporting achievements. In 2007 he was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame, in the coaching category.