The Spanish Conquerors

[by Thomas Kaeckenmeister] - In 1492 Columbus discovered America. More than 500 years later, in 2001, Pau Gasol became the first Spanish basketball player ever to have big impact in America. With the third pick the Atlanta Hawks selected him in the 2001 NBA draft and shipped the Spaniard immediately to Memphis. In six seasons he achieved almost a double double per game for the franchise based in Tennessee.

Although Gasol was not the first Spanish player in the NBA (Fernando Martin played for Portland in 1986/87; Jose Antonio Montero, Atlanta, 1987; Roberto Duenas, Chicago, 1997), Gasol has been the frontrunner for Spanish basketball players conquering the NBA. Since then other great players from the Spanisch national team came into the league. In 2005, José Manuel Calderon arrived in Toronto. One year later he was joined by Jorge Garbajosa. Also in 2006/07 the Portland Trail Blazers drafted a talented playmaker named Sergio Rodriguez, a 21 year old floor general who ranked third in the league in assists per 48 minutes (12,1).

But if you think that was it, you are wrong. The offseason 2007 welcomed three more guys from Spain: Rudy Fernandez (drafted by Phoenix, traded to Portland), Marc Gasol (drafted by LA Lakers) and Juan Carlos Navarro (already drafted in 2002, but his rights were now traded from Washington to Memphis).

Not to forget Fran Vázquez, originally picked by Orlando in 2005. But he preffered to stay in Europe (FC Barcelona) and has not played any game abroad.

In the upcoming European Championship the Spanish squad is going to have home advantage, with a team including all the players named above (maybe except Garbajosa who suffered a broken leg earlier this year). But the current World Champion has got everything to win the European title as well. Head coach Pepu Hernández can count on a great team chemistry and teammates that know each other very well. They fight until the end, even if one of their best players is injured (remember the final game in Saitama, Japan, when Gasol sat out with a broken foot).

In my opinion Spain will win the European title, although I hope Germany will play a huge roll and will advance for the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Spaniards put theirselves on the map in 2006 by winning the World Championship, now they will have good chances to gain the trophy of the best national team in Europe. And soon we will be witness when Portland, Toronto or Memphis play each other in the NBA in 2007/08: The Spanish Conquerors are coming. Watch out!

Thomas Kaeckenmeister