The EA7 Olimpia Milano has etched an unprecedented chapter in Italian basketball history, becoming only the fourth club in the country to sweep all three domestic titles—Supercoppa, Coppa Italia, and Scudetto (the Italian championship shield)—in a single season. The achievement, sealed with the team's 32nd national championship on June 18 following a 86-72 victory over Umana Reyer Venezia, marks a bittersweet milestone: the franchise's first treble came in the wake of patron Giorgio Armani's death last September, casting both triumph and remembrance over the celebration.
More than 1,000 supporters gathered beneath the Arco della Pace—the historic arch in Milan's Sempione Park near the city center—in temperatures exceeding 30°C to salute the champions, a scene that blended euphoria with poignancy. For residents and basketball enthusiasts in Italy, the moment represents not just sporting excellence but a symbolic anchor for Milan's cultural identity—proof that even amid organizational upheaval and a complete roster overhaul looming, the city's basketball machine remains dominant.
Why This Matters
• Historic first: Olimpia Milano achieved a domestic treble for the first time in its 90-year history, consolidating its status as Italy's most decorated basketball club.
• Leadership transition: Head coach Peppe Poeta, who took over mid-season in November 2025 after Ettore Messina stepped aside, delivered two trophies in his debut campaign.
• Wholesale roster change: MVP Armaan Brooks, captain Shavon Shields, and key players LeDay, Ellis, and Nebo are all departing, forcing a summer rebuild ahead of the 2026-27 season.
• EuroLeague underperformance: Despite domestic dominance, Milan finished 14th in EuroLeague regular season, a disappointing result for a club of their caliber. This reveals a significant gap between Italy's top teams and Europe's richest clubs funded by sovereign wealth.
A Season Framed by Loss and Legacy
The 2025-26 campaign began under a cloud. Giorgio Armani, the fashion magnate whose investment since 2008 has totaled €253M, passed away in early September. Without his stewardship, many wondered if the club's competitive edge would erode. Instead, the squad responded with a trophy haul that stands as the most fitting tribute imaginable. Michele Tacchella, a top executive within the Armani Group, told ANSA: "This success is dedicated to Giorgio Armani. We are truly satisfied, starting with president Dell'Orco. It's a tremendous result."
Under Armani's ownership, Olimpia Milano claimed seven Scudetti, re-establishing the club as a perennial force in the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). The treble—achieved during the franchise's 90th-anniversary celebrations—cements his legacy as the architect of modern Milanese basketball.
Poeta's Unlikely Ascent
When Ettore Messina resigned unexpectedly in November to focus solely on sporting direction, assistant Giuseppe "Peppe" Poeta inherited a roster built for another coach's system. The former point guard, competing in his first head-coaching season, had already guided Milano to a Coppa Italia crown and a finals appearance with Brescia. Yet few predicted he would lead the team to a domestic sweep within months.
"If this is a dream, don't wake me," Poeta told reporters after the championship clinch. "Winning two trophies in my first year is something incredible. Achieving a treble that enters Olimpia's history is even more incredible, especially sharing it with a legend like Ettore Messina who built the squad and won the Supercoppa." His self-deprecating humor—off-key renditions of Maledetta Primavera, the team's victory anthem, and jokes about his coaching destiny—has endeared him to supporters accustomed to Messina's stern demeanor.
Poeta's tactical adjustment proved decisive in the finals. After Venezia's explosive attack seemed unstoppable in Game 3, Milan's defense in Game 4 clamped down on the Laguna club (Venezia's nickname, referencing the Venetian lagoon)—the opposing team's perimeter threats, forcing turnovers and low-percentage shots. Brooks, who repeated as regular-season MVP, was named finals MVP, but it was Marko Guduric's second-half surge that rescued a shaky campaign for the Serbian guard.
What This Means for Italian Basketball
Olimpia Milano's stranglehold on domestic silverware—three consecutive Scudetti from 2024 to 2026—has intensified the arms race among Serie A clubs. The Virtus Bologna, Milan's historical rival, has poured resources into high-profile signings like Will Clyburn to challenge both domestically and in EuroLeague. Venezia, despite falling short in the finals, demonstrated resilience by reaching the championship round. Germani Brescia, meanwhile, pushed Milano to the limit in the semifinals, underlining the league's improving depth.
Yet the financial chasm remains stark. Coach Poeta acknowledged that EuroLeague's hyper-competitive market, fueled by sovereign funds and deep-pocketed owners, makes it nearly impossible for Milano to retain star talent. "Our idea is to build something stable, durable, with identity and a sense of belonging that can grow over the years," he explained. "In Europe, we want to be the underdog—we're looking for profiles of people who are hungry, who want to arrive."
This philosophy reflects a broader reality for Italian clubs: they can dominate at home but struggle to match the spending power of Spanish, Turkish, or Greek giants in continental play. Milano's 14th-place EuroLeague finish this season, despite a 38-game regular season format with 20 teams, underscores that gap.
The Exodus and the Rebuild
Brooks formalized his departure during the championship media day, confirming a move to ASVEL Lyon. "These have been two fantastic years in Milan, a huge step for my career. The MVP trophies are just the cherry on top. Lyon is my next step," he said. Zach LeDay is heading to Partizan Belgrade, Keshawn Ellis will play NCAA basketball at St. John's, and Onyeka Okongwu (Nebo) is Barcelona-bound.
Captain Shavon Shields, who has won 10 titles in six seasons with Milano (four Scudetti, three Supercoppe, three Coppe Italia), is negotiating a contract extension, though talks remain complex. "I've been here a long time. I love Milan, my family loves Milan. Only time will tell what happens," he said. General manager Christos Stavropoulos, himself rumored to be nearing a contract renewal, urged fans during the celebration to end their "strike" on away-game attendance—a reference to restrictions imposed by ultras (organized fan groups) that have frustrated club operations.
The incoming class includes Darius Thompson (playmaker from Valencia), Alec Peters (fresh off a EuroLeague championship with Olympiacos), Jason Burnell (from Brescia), and Devon Hall, returning from Fenerbahçe. Milano still needs a backup point guard, a shooting guard, and a center to complete the roster. The objective, per Poeta, is clear: "I'd sign for another season like this. We want to keep winning in Italy."
What Comes Next for Milan Residents and Fans
For residents in Milan, the new season promises fresh opportunities to experience the squad's evolution. The club typically releases season ticket packages and single-game pricing in July, with matches held at the Forum d'Assago (the primary arena located in Milan's southern outskirts). Fans are encouraged to monitor Olimpia Milano's official channels for announcement dates. The roster rebuilding may result in different playing styles, but the club's commitment to domestic competition remains unchanged.
Broader Context: Domestic vs. European Glory
While Olimpia Milano's domestic treble is a first for the club, it differs from the Triple Crown recognized in European basketball—the simultaneous capture of EuroLeague, national championship, and national cup. Only 13 clubs have achieved that feat across 23 occasions, with Real Madrid first accomplishing it in 1964-65. Milano's three EuroLeague/Champions Cup titles (most recently in 1988) and its status as Italy's most decorated franchise (32 Scudetti, 9 Coppe Italia, 6 Supercoppe) place it among Europe's elite historically. Yet the club has not won a continental crown in nearly four decades, a drought that gnaws at the ambitions of ownership and fans alike.
The 2026-27 campaign will test whether Poeta can architect a system from scratch, rather than inheriting Messina's blueprint. His reference to coaching diversity—"Ancelotti wins one way, Conte the exact opposite"—hints at tactical flexibility. Whether that approach can bridge the EuroLeague gap remains the defining question for a club caught between domestic dominance and continental aspiration.
The Celebration and What Comes Next
Beneath the Arco della Pace, Stefano Flaccadori conducted the crowd in Forum chants, while Leandro Bolmaro, tipped as a future captain, rallied supporters in halting Italian: "Siamo molto felici" (We are very happy). Filippo "Pippo" Ricci, awaiting the birth of his first child, beamed: "We're proud to have written a piece of Olimpia history." The team partied into the early hours at a nearby nightclub, the last hurrah before a summer of goodbyes.
For Italy's basketball community, the treble affirms Milan's role as the domestic standard-bearer. For the players scattering across Europe and beyond, it's a career highlight. And for the memory of Giorgio Armani, it's a monument in cloth and leather—a tribute befitting the man who dressed champions and, in his final act, ensured they would be crowned.
