ESP – Mumbru calls it a day with Spain

MADRID (EuroBasket 2011) - Alex Mumbru has become the second prominent player in the Spain squad to announce his retirement from the national team this week.

Coming on the heels of Jorge Garbajosa's decision to stop competing in international basketball, the 32-year-old Mumbru has called it quits as well.

Mumbru played a vital role for Spain on their gold-medal winning team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan and also captured silver at the 2008 Olympics and gold at EuroBasket 2009.

There were rumors after last year's FIBA World Championship that Garbajosa and Mumbru would retire but an announcement about their future was never made in Istanbul.

"After the World Championship in Turkey, I spoke to the FEB president Jose Luis Saez but I didn´t take the decision until the end of this season," Mumbru said.

"I will miss the national team because it is a big family and it´s hard not to go with them, but next year it will be very demanding to play with Bilbao Basket in the Euroleague.

"This was the time to take this decision.

"It´s the best thing for me, for my club and I think the number three role is well covered in the national team."

On Tuesday, he and his Bizkaia Bilbao Basket teammates saw their ACB title hopes dashed.

Regal Barcelona won Game 3 of that series for a three-game sweep.

Spain are hoping to reach the Final of the EuroBasket in Lithuania this summer to qualify for the Olympics.

FIBA