Scariolo includes the American base in the pre-selection, although he also names Madrid player Juan Núñez, brand new European U-20 champion, as a guest
American base Lorenzo Brown, recently nationalized Spanish to play the Eurobasket, is part of the pre-selection of 22 internationals facilitated by Sergio Scariolo this Thursday for the continental championship starting on September 1. The American player, who played for Russia’s Unics Kazan last season, has no affiliation with Spain, nor has he attended a national basketball academy, so his express letter of naturalization has caused much controversy.
Lorenzo Brown has become Spanish due to numerous absences from the squad as race director, with Ricky Rubio injured, Sergio Rodríguez withdrew from the national team and Carlos Alocén also out following surgery for a serious knee injury. For this reason, just three weeks ago, two months before the start of the Eurobasket, the government granted nationality to Lorenzo Brown so that the new 31-year-old Maccabi Tel Aviv player can represent Spain, although Scariolo is also on the list. as guest, the brand new U20 European champion point guard Juan Núñez (Real Madrid). Alberto Díaz (Unicaja) and veteran Quino Colom, a new Basquet Girona player and one of five recalled world champions, are also nominated for this position, along with Rudy Fernández, Sergio Llull, Willy and Juancho Hernangómez.
After the farewell of the Gasol brothers, absent from the national team for the first time in 17 years, the generational change in the national team is put to the test with a team to be reduced to 12 players and where experience and youth come together, with three players who have never defended Spain with the senior team, as Lorenzo Brown and Juan Núñez are joined last Sunday by Estudiantes striker Héctor Alderete, also European U-20 champion. Brown’s nationalization has been criticized by the great legend of Spanish basketball, Pau Gasol, as well as by the captain of the national team, Rudy Fernández. “I don’t know if he has relatives anywhere in Spain,” the eldest of the Gasols argued ironically. “It doesn’t seem right to me,” said the Majorcan player, who learned from the press of the nationalization of the now Spanish-American player who is blocking the progression of young people in absolute terms.
“I didn’t specifically ask Lorenzo Brown. It’s a lie that I don’t know who had the nerve to find out. Another thing is that I have expressed my concern about the condition of the base post. It seems obvious to me that the FEB is looking at all opportunities to maintain competitiveness, a necessary condition for the entire Spanish basketball movement to continue and to maintain a privileged position on the international stage,” said Scariolo, for whom “the values of the national team do not differ, although the level of talent does.
“We know the difficulty of the moment. The generational change we are in is a major challenge. Generosity, cohesion, camaraderie, sharing the ball on the field, helping each other in defense and putting in an effort that fans are proud of are elements that have made us famous and admired around the world. Values in which we carefully educate the young players who come from the academy teams and who are very well prepared by the clubs. We want them to remain competitive on the pitch, but also the values that characterize us and we want them to continue to do so,” the national coach said on Thursday.
The 22 nominees:
Bases: Lorenzo Brown (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Quino Colom (Basquet Girona), Alberto Díaz (Unicaja) and Juan Núñez (Real Madrid)
Shooting guards: Darío Brizuela (Unicaja), Jaime Fernández (Lenovo Tenerife), Sergio Llull (Real Madrid).
eaves:
Alberto Abalde (Real Madrid), Héctor Alderete (Movistar Estudiantes), Jonathan Barreiro (Unicaja), Rudy Fernández (Real Madrid), Xavi López-Aróstegui (Valencia Basket), Miquel Salvó (Gran Canaria) and Santi Yusta (Casademont Zaragoza)
Force Forward:
Juancho Hernangomez (Toronto Raptors), Joel Parra (Joventut), Jaime Pradilla (Valencia Basket).
Centers:
Usman Garuba (Houston Rockets), Fran Guerra (Lenovo Tenerife), Willy Hernangómez (New Orleans Pelicans), Sebas Saiz (Alvark Tokyo) and Yankuba Sima (BAXI Manresa).
Source: La Verdad
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