A Look Ahead: Predicting Spain’s 2020 Olympic Men’s Basketball Roster
The 2020 Tokyo Games will host a variety of new sports, including the 3 on 3 basketball event. It has many people excited including NBA talent. We have seen a few NBA players expressing their fascination with the new format in Olympic basketball. Players like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker were interviewed about it. They both had complimentary things to say about the idea and players. Despite all the hype however, it is still the traditional 5 on 5 format that dominates with internationally renowned talent. These pro’s skills will be showcased come Tokyo 2020 at The Saitama Super Arena. Fans of the NBA tend to only follow the USA’s Olympic Team and in doing so are missing out on tremendous players. That being said, no team outside of the United States has possibly more NBA star talent than the Spaniards.
David Stol is back, to help me breakdown the potential roster for the Spanish Men’s Basketball Team come Tokyo 2020. David is a writer for Canada Basketball and has his own blog dedicated to the sport he loves. David brings with him knowledge of the international game and the youth scene. Here is a link to his website below. Now let’s get to the predictions.
David’s Picks
Spain At The Olympics:
The Spanish national team has been nothing short of a powerhouse in the international basketball realm for the past decade. With superstars such as the Gasol brothers and the likes of Ricky Rubio playing pivotal roles for years, Spain has enjoyed a rare stability that few countries have ever experienced. In the past three Olympic games, Spain has placed 2nd (2008), 2nd (2012), and 3rd (2016) — and this is a level of success that is unlikely to fall off in Tokyo. With a mix of talented veterans and young NBA prospects filling out the roster, let’s take a look at how Spain’s future iteration of their national team is most likely to pan out.
David’s Starting 5
1).Ricky Rubio (PG)
Watching Ricky Rubio play throughout the NBA season, it’s hard not to be disappointed and diagnose him with Jeff Green Syndrome (also known as Jordan Clarkson Condition or even Kelly Oubre Disorder). Essentially, Jeff Green Syndrome is when a player has all the tools to be a star, but always just seems to fall short of becoming one, season after season. But Rubio is a little different — in the NBA, his shortcomings don’t stem from a lack of basketball IQ or discipline, but rather one discernable skill necessary to be a star guard in today’s game: he can’t shoot. His jump shot has remained so inconsistent over the years that many around the league have taken to calling him Bricky Rubio (okay, that’s unconfirmed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it caught on).
Yes, his lack of a jump shot has hindered him from breaking out in the NBA, but in the international game where the fast break is revered above almost all else, Rubio has the chance to emerge as one of the most valuable players on the roster. He played limited minutes in Rio in 2016, averaging 16.8 MPG, but Rubio’s continued to improve each season to the point where I’m confident he’ll be trusted to spearhead the Spanish offence in Tokyo. Despite his inconsistent shooting, Rubio is one of the most gifted playmakers of this generation, he’s shown at least an ability to finish at the rim, and he’s an absolute hound defensively. With Calderon retiring from the national team, it’s Rubio’s time to take the reigns and I have little doubt he’ll live up to the challenge.
2). Álex Abrines (SG)
Álex Abrines didn’t exactly have an enormous sophomore year for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, but he definitely had some intriguing moments. For instance, he scored a career-high 20 points in December of last year in his first career start, where he replaced an injured Paul George. And hey, say what you want about him as a player, but anyone who can manage to score 20 points while playing alongside Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony has a knack for overcoming the odds.
In international play, Abrines scored well while playing in the youth level in FIBA competitions, yet never really found that same success at senior levels or in Rio back in 2016. But Abrines has proved his scoring ability in spurts over his stints with the Spanish team. To sum up his game quite simply, he’s a streaky shooter with good range, solid mechanics, and runs the floor well. He really can’t create his own shot in any reliable way, but his combination of athleticism and shooting ability make him a valuable asset to Spain. Alongside the playmakers which fill out the Spanish roster, I expect Abrines to take a big leap forward in his scoring production in a couple years time.
3). Nikola Mirotic (SF)
It’s been a winding road for Nikola Mirotic in his young NBA career. The Spaniard went from intriguing draft prospect, to a solid rookie season, to getting punched in the face by his teammate, to eventually getting traded and revitalizing his on-court production — pretty much your standard NBA career trajectory. But it’s been far more bright-spots than black eyes for Mirotic through four years in the league and his progress with the national team has been equally promising.
Winning various gold medals with the junior and senior national teams, Mirotic proved to be a valuable contributor in the 2016 Olympics, only trailing Pau Gasol in terms of PPG and sitting third on the team in minutes. Assuming the younger of the Gasol brothers, Marc, will be back and playing with the national team this summer (after playing in the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket), Mirotic’s fit with the team isn’t exactly perfect.
He’s a natural power forward, being potentially too slow and immobile to play the small forward position for extended minutes (especially at 6’10”) but having Mirotic in the starting position will give Spain a unique height and length to their front line while not having to sacrifice the three-point shot. There’s definitely a possibility he won’t start, but I’d be shocked to see if Head Coach Sergio Scariolo doesn’t experiment with Mirotic alongside the Gasol brothers for spurts of time.
4). Pau Gasol (PF)
Over the years, Pau Gasol has transformed himself into near demi-god status with the Spanish national team. Following a gold medal debut in the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, Gasol’s legend has only continued to rise in both international and NBA competition.
Gasol’s age might look like a red flag to some, but his ability to take control of entire tournaments in recent years bodes well for his ability to keep playing in Tokyo. In the 2015 EuroBasket, Gasol was named the MVP of the competition after some amazing performances, averaging 25.6 PPG and 8.8 RPG (leading the competition in both statistics). The 35-year-old was also named the competition’s leader in BPG with 2.3 in the tournament. On September 7, 2017, in a game against Hungary, Gasol became FIBA EuroBasket’s all-time leading scorer, passing Tony Parker with 1,033 points.
Now if that’s not a legacy, I don’t know what is. Pau will be 40 by the time 2020 rolls around and with (presumably) two more NBA seasons under his belt, it’s not realistic to expect that same production from the Spaniard. But with players like Mirotic and Abrines coming into their own and his brother still clinging onto the end of his prime, Gasol will be looked as more of a mentor and role player than anything else.
5). Marc Gasol (C)
Two years from now will probably mark the tail-end of Marc Gasol’s elite-status in the NBA, but international basketball is a different beast. The international game often allows aging stars like Dirk Nowitzki and even Marc’s older brother, Pau, to remain productive far after their NBA-dominance has gone to die. Gasol’s ability to post up, space the floor, pass, and defend the paint is an incredibly rare skillset, especially in today’s modern basketball landscape.
It’s this versatility that makes Gasol such a compelling part of the Spanish roster: he can play with essentially any combination of players and mold his game to fit their playstyle. Luckily, with point guards like Rubio and Juan Carlos Navarro running the show and a slew of shooters spanning the perimeter, Gasol should have free reign to take full advantage of his biggest strength — scoring in the post.
Despite heading into Tokyo at the ripe age of 35, Gasol will still (presumably) be the focal point of the Spanish offence while anchoring the interior defence on the other end. After missing the Rio Olympics back in 2016, Spain can only hope Gasol makes a similar impact as he did last year in the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket.
David’s Bench
6. Rudy Fernandez (SG)
As a kid, Rudy Fernandez was always one of my favourite players to watch and even then, it was clear that he had one goal and one goal only — score. Throughout his time in the NBA, Fernandez drew in fans by essentially playing the role of a white J.R. Smith (a torch Mario Hezonja has tried to carry since).
Fernandez’s ability to knock down ridiculous fadeaways, take ill-advised threes, and throw down highlight reel dunks are what made him such an international sensation. He simply didn’t have a conscious and most of the time it worked out in spectacular fashion. But as he’s aged, Fernandez’s weaknesses have unfortunately become increasingly apparent.
Fernandez played a big role in the 2016 Olympics, but he often disappeared offensively when pressured by a top-tier perimeter defender. Against the USA in Rio, Fernandez didn’t necessarily turn the ball over against elite defenders like Klay Thompson or Jimmy Butler, but looked disrupted for nearly the entire game, putting up forced shots and interrupting the flow of the Spanish offence. He’s always struggled with getting by his initial defender due to a lack of ball-handling ability, but a steady loss of quickness certainly isn’t helping in that regard either.
That being said, with Mirotic coming into his own and both Gasol brothers presumably returning, Fernandez can find a new and invaluable role off the bench. Fernandez’s athleticism may not be what it used to be, but he still has the ability to be lethal from distance. Overall, Fernandez can be a key sixth man for the roster by leading the second unit as a premier scoring threat while spacing the floor for the Hernangómez brothers off the bench.
7. Sergio Rodriguez (PG)
Sergio Rodriguez, also known as the Spanish Magician (because I guess just calling him the Magician wouldn’t have been racially specific enough), earned the nickname through the showmanship and flare of his game. Rodriguez has been a pillar of the Spanish national team for over a decade and has built up quite a reputation as a gifted leader along the way.
Rodriguez’s talents seem to be almost perfectly tailored to the international game. He has a unique ability to see passing lanes, runs the fast break nearly as well as Rubio, seldomly makes a wrong decision (except when he’s trying too hard to entertain the crowd, then he tends to be a bit of a wildcard), and he’s a formidable defender. These are all traits which are obvious if you replay Spain’s matchups in 2012 and 2016 against the USA — he can defend elite point guards and run an offence against staunch perimeter threats.
But just as parts of Rodriguez’s game shined against the USA, weak aspects were only made more apparent in the brightest of spotlights. His lack of physicality was exposed against stronger guards like Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry and his tendency to get carried away with the entertainment of the game certainly hurt Spain on multiple occasions.
That being said, Rodriguez is more than capable of backing up Rubio and facilitating the Spanish offence off the bench. He’s versatile enough to play either guard position, allowing him to play in a variety of lineups. Overall, the Rodriguez-Rubio tandem will be one of the best playmaking lineups in Tokyo with some of the flashiest plays we’ve ever seen.
8. Willy Hernangómez (C)
I live by a handful of rules: Never trust airport sushi, nothing good happens after 2:00 AM, carrying two wallets (one for spare change, one for everything else) only makes perfect sense, New Balance are always in style, and never trust a grown man who still goes by Willy or Billy. These are just a selection of rules, but like any rule, there are exceptions — Willy Hernangómez is my Willy/Billy exception.
Hernangómez has quickly become one of many figures of stability in the Spanish program. Beginning his career as a member of the junior national team of Spain, Hernangómez played at the 2012 Albert Schweitzer Tournament, where he was named to the All-Tournament Team. He then went on to compete in the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, where he won a gold medal, and at the 2014 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, where he won a silver medal and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
More recently, Hernangómez joined the senior Spanish national basketball team. With Spain’s senior national team, he played at the EuroBasket 2015, winning a gold medal, and at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, earning the bronze. He also played at the EuroBasket 2017.
But Hernangómez’s development hasn’t just been on the international stage. After being named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2016 following his inaugural season in New York, Hernangómez quickly became one of the lone bright spots in the Knicks organization (which, of course, means they traded him to the Hornets for practically nothing in return — no offence to Johnny O’Bryant III). But despite the trade and his fairly new role on the senior national team, Hernangómez brings an old-school style of play back to the center position and it’s one that’s been highly effective. He plays a lot like a shorter Marc Gasol; he doesn’t quite have the footwork or consistent scoring ability, but he’ll be a strong rebounder and post-up option for Spain off the bench.
9. Juan Carlos Navarro (SG/PG)
Juan Carlos Navarro really might be in contention for the coolest basketball player on the planet. Going by three names and all of them being incredibly Spanish? Very cool move. Being commonly known as La Bomba (or The Bomb)? Even cooler. Officially being named a EuroLeague Basketball Legend? A level of cool that few people ever ascend to. Yes, Navarro’s NBA career was short lived (mainly due to his preference of staying in Spain rather than play for the Wizards — and who could blame him?), but his ability to perform and his accomplishments on the international stage are undeniable.
He’s absolutely past his prime at the age of 38, but Navarro’s been able to stay around the game as a competent role player due to the fact that he’s never relied heavily on speed or athleticism in order to produce. He’s proven to be a lights-out shooter for his entire career and can play either guard position (but is most comfortable at shooting guard).
His defence has fallen off over his past few international competitions (the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup), but his ability to contribute as a secondary ball-handler and a spot-up shooter justifies his minutes. But aside from his offensive production, it’ll be his confidence and experience that offers the highest value to Spain this summer (his performance against the USA in the two previous Olympics games tells you everything you need to know about his confidence). Navarro is simply Spanish legend — it’s impossible to leave him off the roster.
10. Juan Hernangómez (PF)
Juan Hernangómez may be known to many NBA fans as simply the worse Hernangómez brother, but to the Spanish national team? He’s yet another key young prospect on the roster. He’s shorter and less of a scoring option than his older brother, but Hernangómez has already proven he can be a valuable defensive option off the bench, supplementing his lack of size with a strong motor and good athleticism.
In 2013, Hernangómez competed with the Spain national under-18 basketball team at the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship in Latvia. He joined the under-20 team for the following two years, playing at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. He eventually joined the senior Spanish national team at the EuroBasket 2017 in what was his inaugural tournament with the team.
Hernangómez, unlike his older brother, hasn’t had the chance to prove himself much on the international stage. However, following two more years of development, the Hernangómez brothers will perhaps look to follow in the footsteps of the Gasol brothers in leading the next generation of Spaniards to basketball glory. At the moment, Hernangómez’s game relies on his athleticism, quickness, and a solid mid-range jump shot. But while he still lacks a legitimate post-game or a substantial basketball IQ, there is certainly time for him to develop further before Tokyo.
11. Sergio Llull (PG)
Llull was once heralded as one of the most interesting international stars to come to the NBA, and while it never worked out for Llull in America, that doesn’t take away from the fact that he remains one of the best European players of the past decade.
Llull’s incredible facial hair may make him look 52, but he’s still enjoying the tail end of his prime at just 30 years of age. At 6’3”, Llull has good size for the point guard position and a game that can only be accurately described as “crafty.” His ability to change speeds and utilize misdirection to keep defenders guessing is what’s allowed him to become such an effective slasher.
Much like Rubio and Navarro, Llull loves to push the pace and score in transition, but his weakness comes in the form of an inability to make plays for others. It’s not that he’s an unwilling passer, he’s simply much more adept at scoring off the dribble than making good decisions and creating scoring opportunities for others. Overall, despite a lack of discipline and playmaking, Llull is an exciting guard to bring off the bench and help bring a contagious pace to the offence.
12. Felipe Reyes (PF/C)
By the time Tokyo rolls around, Felipe Reyes will have turned 40. Now, obviously that’s old for most basketball players, but after a decorated career in the Europe and a breadth of experience with the Spanish national team, it’s hard not to warrant Reyes a trip to Tokyo on the assumption that he could aid the younger prospects in their development (especially the Hernangómez brothers).
Reyes is an extremely physical player, making up for his lack of height with an ability to push and battle for position using his strength. He’s pretty much mastered the art of the midrange jump shot, can rebound effectively against much bigger opponents, and gets by on defence simply on effort and mobility alone.
However, over the years, that mobility has quickly declined and, while never having a very expansive offensive game, he’s become less effective on both ends of the floor in recent years. Reyes can certainly contribute in a multitude of ways off the bench for Spain in two years time, but he’ll prove most valuable as a mentor to young prospects as he looks to pass the torch along.
David’s Young Prospects
1). Aleix Font (SG/SF)
Aleix Font is an incredibly skilled scorer who could legitimately join the Spanish national team and contribute today. Font represented Spain in the FIBA U20 European Championship earlier this year and led his squad in scoring with 16.9 PPG to go along with 3.3 RPG.
Font can shoot from distance with beautiful form and consistency. He’s most lethal as a spot-up shooter but has shown a (limited) ability to score off the dribble as well. Throughout the games, Font proved to have one of the fieriest attitudes in the tournament and while it sometimes affected him negatively, most of the time it fired the team up along with him.
Like all prospects, Font has some shortcomings; he’s not a great athlete, he doesn’t have good height for the wing position, struggles to finish in the paint, and goes cold when he can’t create his own shot. But overall, he’s the type of player who’d be able to put the ball in the basket at any level when playing alongside a legitimate playmaker (which Spain has an abundance of).
2). Eric Vila (PF)
At just 20 years of age, Eric Vila is easily one of the most skilled international prospects in his age group. Standing at 6’11”, Vila is surprisingly versatile and can score in a variety of ways. His three-point jump shot is fluid with a high release point and it’s evolved to the point where one of his go-to moves is to pump fake, take one side-dribble, and knock down the shot with ease — a rare skill set in any big man.
Vila scored well in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup back in 2017, leading the team with 13.0 PPG and 10.9 RPG. However, despite the impressive rebounding numbers, Vila will no doubt have trouble maintaining this dominance at this point in his physical development. Essentially, he has the muscle mass of a baby giraffe. His skinny frame allows him to get bodied in the paint and hurts him defensively while forcing him to score outside the paint on offence. Vila’s strength will surely grow over time, but at this point it’s glaring. His chances of making the 2020 Olympic roster are, quite frankly, a long shot, but I felt compelled to add him in for the fact that he has star potential should he continue to develop.
Overall, Tokyo will be yet another promising opportunity for Spain to earn a medal with a roster composed of mainly known entities and complimented by young prospects. While Spain’s team will be older than most come 2020, the extra experience will most likely prove invaluable in a tournament where many teams struggle to find chemistry in a condensed timeframe. However, as we look ahead to the 2020 Olympics, Spain will deal with the difficulty of having to choose between relying on veterans which have led the programs for years, or young prospects who will eventually be carrying the torch for the national team.
Shotaro’s Picks
For me, it seems like some of Spain’s starters are almost locked in. There are very few NBA caliber Spanish talent and so you assume most of those will fill out the starting roster. Obviously this is not always the case, but you hear it time and time again, you can’t coach talent. That being said, I did throw one surprising starter into the lineup, who I think can complement the others well.
David’s bench makes a lot of sense. With a wealth of experience, team cohesion and about five hundred million miles on there legs. There are plenty of opportunities for David’s “veteran”, bordering geriatric, team to make a splash, but for me I’m going to go younger. Yes there are some players that undeniably are a lock to be on the team despite their age, but I think Spain should look to their young talent that has been quite promising. Now let’s take a look at my picks for roster spots come Tokyo 2020.
Shotaro’s Starting 5
1). Ricky Rubio (PG)
Ricky is one of those pieces that are pretty much a guaranteed roster spot. Barring injuries or his unwillingness to participate, Rubio would be the ideal player to lead the point. His playmaking ability has never been in question, averaging 7.9 assists per game in the NBA. As David already brought up, his problem is simply his ability to score. The thing is however, I think this weakness can be over stated as his field goal percentage has risen over 40% the last two year, meaning he’s not super inefficient with his shot selection. I know that this is excluding his first five years in the league, but the crafty veteran has seemingly improved on shooting and never puts his team out of contention due to taking selfish shots.
At the end of the day Rubio will be the one to distribute to scorers and position his team to be competitive with his great decision making. Rubio’s defence has always been great because of his IQ. This allows him to clog passing lanes and has led him to average 2 steals per game. He will also play the boards quite well, with 4.3 rebounds a game. You know Rubio is also able to compete with elite talent. It was just this playoffs that he hung a triple double (26pts, 11reb, 10ast) on “brodie”. Here is a highlight reel from this years NBA season. Fair warning, it’s not a super exciting video, but shows you all the upside of Ricky Rubio’s game. It’s cliche to say but he is the pro’s pro.
2.) Alex Abrines (SG)
Alex Abrines is on the starting roster for a number of reasons. The first being he’s young, with good height at 6'6" (2.01m), and has shown flashes coming off the bench for OKC. He can play both the two and three, as he has a solid jump shot that spaces the floor. He would often be inserted into the Thunder’s lineup to take threes for Oklahoma. Occasionally Abrines will surprise you with his athleticism, like his dunk on Jordan Bell. Ok ok, I may be hyping him up because of some bias, as I did cheer for the Thunder last season, but coming off the bench he was definitely an asset. During the previous Olympic games in 2016, Abrinese was coming off the bench, and his experience as a twenty three year old on the biggest international stage was definitely a positive. He has been playing professional basketball since 2012. Starting in the Euro League before making his transition to the NBA, so he is also familiar with the international game.
There are some clear negatives to his game. First at times he can be abused on the defensive end, due to his lack of lateral quickness. This doesn’t mean he is a bad defender, but going against some of the best athletes in the NBA does showcase his vulnerability. His lack of playing prominent roles in recent years does also raise the question if he is a starting caliber player. I think however, going from the stiff competition of the NBA to international play, will allow him to be a prominent figure on this team.
3). Nikola Mirotic (SF)
Ok I know he’s normally listed as a powerforward but he has always been a strectch four. Yes he might lack the lateral quickness to gaurd athletic wings but he has very good length. If your not familiar with Mirotic, he’s actually a very valuable player in the NBA. He may not be the floor general of Rubio or the defencive center piece of Marc Gasol, but in terms of getting buckets, Nikola may be the best, certainly atleast from three.
Mirotic has been in the NBA for quite sometime now. He started off his career in Chicago posting career highs with the team in 2016–2017. His three point percentage was .429 which doesn’t grow on trees. His points per game that year was also a fairly strong 16.8, on only 24.9 minutes per game. The man can score and does so at a fairly efficient rate. This season he was traded to the pelicans and asked to play a much larger role once Boogie got hurt. He will be the main target of Rubio for spot up threes and has shown during his time with New Orleans to be a competent rebounder, averaging 8.2 a game. He is without a doubt, going to be a central part of a Spanish team looking to do damage in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
4). Serge Ibaka (PF)
If you don’t follow international play and focus on the NBA, you may not know that Serge Ibaka is a Spanish citizen. You probably have heard that he is from the Republic of Congo, seemingly ever broadcaster will bring this up. Born into a massive family of 18, Ibaka decided to leave his family and hometown of Brazzaville, to pursue his professional career in Spain. He was eventually given citizenship and would represent Spain in the 2012 Olympic Games.
Serge was born to be a basketball player, with both his parents representing Congo on an international level. Athletic with incredibly length and height, he is a versatile offensive player, with the key timing to make defencive plays. It is quite obvious how he got his nickname of “Serge Iblocka.”
So why did I choose Serge, instead of possibly the best Spanish player of all time in Pau Gasol to start? Well for one, Serge will be 10 years younger than Pau by the start of the Olympics, but there are plenty of other reasons. Serge is better on the fast break than the aging Pau, which the international game relies so heavy on. Serge is also a great defencive player that can rotate to help Abrines and Mirotic who may get beat by quicker wing players. He can cover the defensive liabilities that other players may have. Ibaka has been a key part of the Raptors and OKC’s defense, averaging 2.2 blocks per game and should serve well paired with Marc Gasol. The only question that remains is his desire to represent Spain in 2020. He decided to skip the Rio Olympics two years ago.
5). Marc Gasol (C)
It’s impossible to say that Marc Gasol has had a better career than his brother Pau. The elder brother Pau does have two championships with the Kobe led Lakers and was undoubtedly his right hand man. At this point in their careers however, Marc is the more valuable asset. He has won defencive player of the year in the NBA (2013), and has steadily improved his offensive capabilities. He didn’t elect to represent Spain at the last Olympic Games in Rio, but it seems like 2020 will be one of his last opportunities to team up with Pau.
Marc Gasol has been a part of the Memphis Grizzlies for the last ten years. He can be a dominant figure in the paint, and do everything you ask for in a centre. He has a high field goal percentage, averaging .487 for his career, with the recent drop being contributed to Marc trying to expand his game. To keep up with the evolving big man, Marc has taken more threes in recent years with some success. I am doubtful that’s what will be asked of him come Tokyo 2020, but it’s in his game.
Shotaro’s Bench
6). Pau Gasol (PF)
I know it may seem blasphemous to put possibly the greatest Spanish basketball player ever on the bench, but hey there comes a time. There have been better players coming off the bench, and I think Pau could really benefit the second unit. If you know Pau, he could always do a little bit of everything, except for outside jump shooting. He has the team mentality, giving up personal statistics for the better of everyone around him. Pau is always ready to take on any competition, and gets that “El Diablo” look in his eyes.
So why do I think he should come off the bench? I think pairing his ability to play the pick and roll with backup point guard Quino Colom will be beneficial. Pau knows how to spread the ball, and has been in the San Antonio Spurs system the last two years. Despite his game not aging particularly well in the NBA, the man should still be able to do what he wants against ever team except the USA. The second unit of my team’s roster is also really young, making his veteran presence that much more important.
7). Alberto Abalde (SG/SF)
An absolute must on the Spanish team for me is Abalde Alberto. He is the current starter at small forward for the national team, but that is far from the only reason. First he is only 22 years old and already shows much promise. Abalde is 6'8" (2.07 meters), with a good frame, and able to play both an off guard and the forward position. He does need to gain a little muscle mass however weighing only 93kg at the moment, but that should come with time. He had his first Euroleague season this year and had an impressive showing, claiming a spot on the Spanish League-All Young Players Team. Despite his great size, he does not rely on it what so ever. Infact his ability to shoot off the dribble and be a reliable three point shooter are what makes him such a great wing player. He also has the lateral quickness to not be a liability on defence.
So what makes him such a good option for this team? Well if he is part of a rotation he can fit the role of Mirotic or Abrines as a wing player, with little drop off. If he will be a part of the second unit, alongside Pau and the Hernangomez brothers, then he will have to play the dominant role as the spot up shooter. You can see in his highlight video his ability to both shoot off the dribble and set his feet off screens to hit an open three. In his first season in the Euroleague he shot .44% from the field. He’s a player with the ability to become a star for the Spanish team.
8). Willy Hernangómez (C)
The Hernangomez brothers are young, big bodied and ultimately the future leaders of Spanish basketball. Willy is just 24 years of age and has experience playing in the NBA. He was originally drafted by the 76ers, but was quickly sent to the Knicks where he enjoyed a good rookie campaign. During his first season in the NBA, Willy appeared in 72 games, starting 22 of them. Averaging 7.0 rebounds per game, 8.2 points per game in just 18 minutes per games. This led to Willy landing a spot on the NBA all rookie first team. Unfortunately since his successful freshman year, he hasn’t experienced the same results, which led to his trade to the Hornets in 2018.
Even though his pro NBA career has been somewhat inconsistant, Willy is an amazing basketball player who has experience from the Rio 2016 Olympics. He played previously in the Euro League and international tournaments before being drafted to the NBA, and thus is well in tune with what international play is like. He is 6'11" (2.11m), with a solid frame. The only real knock on Willy is his inability to stretch the floor to shoot threes, but he can be that strong figure in the paint that you need. I believe he will once again choose to represent Spain in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, along with Juan.
9.) Juan Hernangómez (SF/PF)
Juan Hernangomez may get a little flack for being the less acomplished of the two brothers from internet bloggers “cough” “cough”, but is still a solid choice. Younger by 2 years and shorter by 2 inches, his style of play isn’t similar to his older brother Willy. However, he did follow his brothers path to get the NBA and was drafted just a year later to the Denver Nuggets, where he still currently plays. Despite often being labled as the lesser of the two talents, his season high in scoring tops his brothers, Juan dropping 27 points in 2017 on the Golden State Warriors. Last season however Juan ran into an unfortunate situation when he was diagnosed with mononucleosis, which effectively ended his season. He will look to bounce back in the upcoming season to push the Nuggest into to the western conference finals.
On the Spanish national team, he would be a great pairing to go along with his brother. The two offer great size and both can dominate the boards, offering those crucial second chance points. Rebounding is even more essential in international play compared to the NBA, due to lower field goal percentages. He usually plays the the four, occasionally the three, and unlike other wing players on Spain, such as Abrines and Mirotic, he has great athleticism. This makes him a more viable option off the bench to be involved in a more defencive lineups.His range is also a little streaky but he can catch fire from deep. His compatibility playing alongside his brother is an obvious bonus, as they have since their youth.
10). Quino Colom (PG)
I was tempted to go with the younger Jaime Fernandez to fill out the role of back up point guard, who can also rotate in as a two. Ultimately I decided to go with the more veteraned Colom. Don’t get it twisted, he won’t be out of his prime by 2020, just towards the end, at 31. The 29 year old has had a journeyman career, often bouncing around. He has had 9 teams in the last 11 years since going pro. That might raise red flags but his travels have often been upwards, starting at lower ranked clubs. He has had his best seasons as of late, averaging 13.1 ppg, 6.6 apg, 4.1 rpg, while shooting over 43% from the field. So with so much ability, why did he take so long to get to the top level of the European League? Well he simply doesn’t fit the prototypical basketball player. Yes he has some height at 6'2" (1.88m), but he doesn’t have the athleticism that you may look for.
In this team he will be good for many reasons. Firstly he is already the starting point guard for the Spanish side and familiar with their system. His experience makes him more than compitent to step into Ricky Rubio’s role should anything happen to the starting point guard. He will also be good with the second unit, leading the young bench with fellow veteran Pau Gasol. His ability to dish the ball to scorers makes the life of his teammates just that much easier.
Shotaro’s Young Prospects
To fill out the rest of the roster with young prospects, it is really hard not to go with Eric Vila or Aleix Font. They have been leaders for the youth teams of Spain, both representing their country in the FIBA U-19 tournament in 2017. David has already highlighted much of their upside and short comings. I decided instead of repeating his choice for the young prospects, I should take the time to highlight other deserving youngsters. So here we go.
11). Sergi Martinez Costa (PF)
A player who can often be overlooked at the forward position due to Eric Vila’s dominance for Spain in junior competition is Sergi Martinez Costa. He was a fellow teamate of Vila on the 2016 U-18 European Championships. He was also part of the U-17 World Championships where he had an impressive display. During FIBA events, he averages 15.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 1.6 apg. Costa is a strong finisher around the basket and shows occasional consistency with jump shooting. However what he really thrives at is his ability to run the floor on the fast break. In half court sets he prefers to get his back to the basket quickly and gauge his defender. If the defender is weaker, he will look to simply use his strength to get in great position for a floater or hook shot. If the defender sets his feet too firmly, he will look to slip by for a layup or reverse layup.
Like many young prospects, Costa has some glaring weaknesses. Having Pau, a NBA star teaching Costa, could do wonders for his game. At times Costa can make ill advised passes and not the correct basketball play. He relies to much on his instincts of scoring and chasing rebounds. Pau has shown his ability to understand the defences and making unselfish plays for those around him. Perhaps not the most talented young Spanish forward, Sergi Martinez Costa still shouldn’t be overlooked as a potential Spanish national team player.
12). Pol Mollins (SG/PG)
Pol Mollins was born in 1999, making him a year younger than Vila and Font. He was a part of the 2017 U-19 Spanish national team that placed 4th at the tournament. He is listed as a point guard, but his style of play is more suited for the off guard position. Mollins has filled the role of shooting guard plenty of times and this is how I would expect him to be utilized in this lineup. Mollins tends to attack the rim, as when he plays the point guard position, he often has a height advantage. He is quite a big point guard at 6'5"(1.98m), and tries to leverage his height for some easy baskets. He could serve as a little energizer bunny off the bench, giving you a few minutes of scoring. Mollins would greatly benefit from the guidance of Rubio and Colom, who are much more traditional point guards.
Mollins short comings are his lack of range from deep and vision. Yes two very crucial aspects of any modern day guard. He also relies on floaters way to much, as he is unable to get around defenders. His bad shot selection can be detrimental to the team at times. Once again at only 19 years of age he is still a work in progress. Will he ultimately be picked over other young prospect? That remains to be seen but his ability and performance at international play shouldn't be dismissed.
So there you have it, our potential rosters for the Spanish Men’s Olympic Basketball Team. They are another team that has often made the Olympics such an interesting event. Spain will once again be a competitive team, looking to dethrone the poster child of basketball, the United States. With this possibly being the last Olympics ever for Spanish legends like the Gasol’s, it will be extra special for the fans. Now go watch some more Rick Rubio highlights!
