Bologna, July 20, 2026 – For Achille Polonara the second life in basketball begins from the bench. It is official, in fact, his entry into the technical staff of Halley Avellino Basket, a team that will compete in the Serie A2 championship next season under coach Gennaro Di Carlo. The official announcement came with a statement from the Irpinian club, a few hours after the message posted on social media by Polonara himself. The former Virtus player had indeed announced the start of his new basketball life, after completing the Cna – National Coaches Committee registration course last July 16.
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“I am really very excited and happy”
“First of all, I want to thank Halley Campania Avellino Basket for offering me this great opportunity. I can’t wait to start. The team has taken shape, only one player is missing to complete the roster. Personally, I am really very excited and happy to start this new experience and to collaborate with coach Di Carlo and the other staff coaches,” Polonara said.
First official coaching assignment
Avellino represents the first official assignment of his coaching career and is the natural continuation of a path started with the achievement of the Cna registration. A concrete sign of the desire to stay in the world of basketball after the retirement announced on May 4.
The tough battle against leukemia
The choice comes at the end of a path marked by a very tough battle against acute myeloid leukemia, made public during last season’s championship finals, when Virtus dedicated the title won to him. After the bone marrow transplant performed at Sant’Orsola, complications and a long rehabilitation period, Polonara looks ahead. In the past, he had said he identified with the intensity and passion of Gianmarco Pozzecco, characteristics that could also accompany him in his new experience on the bench, where he is ready to take the first steps of his second basketball life.
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