Viva Espana – a guide to the Spanish Olympic Team
Everything is ready, if you are to believe Boris Johnson that is, for the Olympics and we are too at UK American Sports Fans.
OK, we’re not there with press accreditation, but you can be sure for all your basketball coverage it won’t be lacking. Who knows – in four years’ time we might have a jolly over to Rio to cover the event if this all goes well.
I’ll be covering the Spanish men’s team over the course of the basketball tournament, so there’s a good chance I could be writing for a while if the European champions, and second ranked by FIBA, can make their way through to the gold medal game and perhaps upset the odds and go a step further than their last efforts in Beijing in 2008.
Despite recently losing against the USA, who are seen as outright favourites for gold in London, in an exhibition game in Barcelona, like most other teams, the real work will start from this Sunday. Friendly, warm-up, exhibition; call them what you want but the Olympics is where it matters most.
This is a quick run through then in just 20 words per Spanish player, so you have some idea if you don’t already know about them. Let’s not forget that there is going to be a heck of a lot of play going on over the next fortnight and a bit so you’re bound to learn more as the tournament progresses!
#4 Pau Gasol – PF (LA Lakers): Stalwart of the team, chosen Spain’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony after Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Games.
#5 Rudy Fernandez – SF (Real Madrid): NBA career high .440% of field goals last year during his only season with Denver before moving back to Madrid.
#6 Sergio Rodriguez – PG (Real Madrid): Recently signed a two-year contract extension to stay with Madrid until 2015; played for three NBA teams, still only 26.
#7 Juan Carlos Navarro – SG (Barcelona): Captain of the Spanish side and was named in EuroBasket 2011 All-Tournament Team and MVP after their victory against France.
#8 Jose Calderon – PG (Toronto Raptors): In February 2012, Calderón scored a career high 30 points in a 94–92 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers.
#9 Felipe Reyes – PF/C (Real Madrid): Reyes has featured in the Spanish national men’s side now for twelve years, first winning a bronze medal in Eurobasket 2001.
#10 Victor Claver – SF/PF (Portland Trail Blazers): New team mate of Team GB’s Joel Freeland, so the match-up between the two on August 2nd will be interesting.
#11 Fernando San Emeterio – SG/SF (Baskonia): He won the Spanish League MVP, as well as featuring in the All-EuroLeague and All-ACB teams in the 2011 season.
#12 Sergio Llull – PG/SG (Real Madrid): Houston Rockets bought rights from Nuggets for $2.25 million, most expensive player ever to be purchased during draft’s second round.
#13 Marc Gasol – C (Memphis Grizzlies): The younger brother of Pau; he was entered in as a reserve in his first NBA All-Star team last season.
#14 Serge Ibaka – PF (Oklahoma City Thunder): Born in Republic of Congo, parents also basketball players, but representing for Spain after last year being granted Spanish citizenship.
#15 Victor Sada – PG (Barcelona): After spell with Girona, he returned for second stint at Barcelona where last season he helped win the Spanish Championship.
