Quick Facts
Biography
Ferdinando "Nando" Gentile, born 1 January 1967, is an Italian former professional basketball player. Playing as a point guard, Gentile had a successful club career, amassing a slew of trophies in Italy and Greece, including the Euroleague.
He also played for the Italian national team, with whom he won a silver medal at EuroBasket 1991.
Professional career
The Caserta native started his career at only 15 with local side Juvecaserta Basket under coach Bogdan Tanjević in 1982. He played a few games as the team earned promotion from the Serie A2 to the first division Serie A at the end of the season.
Gentile soon became "big-time player" for Caserta, helping them qualify for the 1983–84 FIBA Korać Cup, their first participation in European competition. Caserta and Gentile reached the final of the 1985–86 FIBA Korać Cup but lost to Virtus Roma.
In 1988 the team won the Italian Cup, Gentile's first trophy. This allowed Caserta to play in the 1988-89 Saporta Cup, where they reached the final, losing in overtime to Real Madrid.
His defining feat during his Caserta career was his participation in the 1991 Serie A title obtained by the Campanians, scoring 28 points in the finals game 5 against Olimpia Milano.
Gentile moved to Stefanel Trieste in 1993, reuniting with coach Tanjević, he reached the 1993–94 FIBA Korać Cup final with the side.
When owner Bepi Stefanel left Trieste to go to Olimpia Milano in 1994, he also moved the whole squad to Milan, including Gentile and Tanjević. He captained the team as they completed the double in 1995-96, winning the Serie A and the Cup, nearly achieving a triple but losing in the Korać Cup final. He reached two other European finals with Milan, the 1995 Korać Cup and 1998 EuroCup, but lost both whilst in 1997 he suffered a knee injury as Milan stalled in the Euroleague quarterfinals.
In 1998, with Milan on the verge of getting dismantled, Gentile signed for Panathinaikos in Greece. With the Athens side he would win three consecutive Greek Basket League championships in as many years. Furthermore he helped the Greeks win the 1999–2000 FIBA Euroleague, beating Maccabi Tel Aviv in the final. The next season he reached the final of the SuproLeague (the renamed official successor to the Euroleague) but this time Panathinaikos lost to Maccabi.
Gentile returned to Italy in 2001, briefly turning up for Snaidero Udine, before finishing the season with second division side Pallacanestro Reggiana. Following that he had a parenthesis with Montepaschi Siena in the Serie A, playing 5 games.
He returned to JuveCaserta, by now in the third division Serie B, to play the 2003-04 season.
After turning up for amateur side Artus Maddaloni the next year, he retired in 2005.
Coaching career
Gentile next started a coaching career with second division Andra Coasta Imola for`the 2006-07 season, though he did not finish the season after bad results.
He joined Virtus Roma as an assistant coach in 2008, when head coach Jasmin Repeša resigned after a few months, he was appointed head coach in January 2008. Though he was confirmed for 2009-10, he resigned in December 2009.
A stint with Veroli in 2011-12 remains, to date, his last coaching experience.
International career
Gentile played for the Italy national basketball team Under-18's in the 1986 European Championship and the Under-19's in the 1987 World Championship.
Having made his debut for the senior side in 1984, he took part in EuroBasket 1987, EuroBasket 1993, and EuroBasket 1995.
With Italy he won was a silver medalist at the EuroBasket 1991.
He also played at the 1993 Mediterranean Games, winning gold.
An October 1996 qualification game for the EuroBasket 1997 was his last game for the Nazionale.
Personal
Nando's two sons Stefano and Alessandro are also professional basketball players, both have played for Olimpia Milano, with Alessandro also captaining the side.
Honours
Team
International
- Eurobasket: 1991 Italy
Silver - Mediterranean Games: 1993 Languedoc-Roussillon
Gold
Silver
GoldClub
- Euroleague: winner (2000)
- Greek Basket League: champion (1999, 2000, 2001)
- Serie A: champion (1991, 1996)
- Italian Cup: winner (1988, 1996)