Pallacanestro Milano was founded in 1955 by Valentino Milanaccio in order for his son and his friends from the San Gioachimo oratory to play basketball. From 1955 to 1957 it participated in the leagues of the Centro
Sportivo Italiano, a Christian sporting organisation, winning the national title in 1956. The 1957–58 season saw the club join the
Italian basketball federation and play in the
Promozione (the fifth of the six divisions that made up the
Italian basketball league system at the time). Successive promotions saw it reach the first division
Serie A by 1964. Pallacanestro Milano would stay in the top division until 1980, after which it would be relegated a number of times and progress down the league pyramid, with the national titles conquered by the youth sides a meager consolation. A new ownership from 1998 managed to rebuild the side from a perilous situation (no youth sector after a breakup, only three players affiliated to the club) with three consecutive playoff appearances but without being able to return the side to the national divisions. ==Notable players==