High-flyer Garuba bullish on Spain's chances

PAMPLONA (Spain) - A changing of the guard is well and truly underway in Spain, home of the two-time FIBA Basketball World Champions and current holders of the Naismith Trophy.

Most of the greats that took this country to the top of the international game are gone. Some have retired from the national team and others have retired from basketball.

But even without Pau and Marc Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Sergio Rodriguez and others, Spain's current crop of players is bullish about its chances of not just competing, but winning.

"AT THIS EUROBASKET, I NEED TO TAKE A BIG LEAP FORWARD WITH THE TEAM. I'M WORKING ON THAT." - USMAN GARUBA

For fans of Spain, coach Sergio Scariolo and the players, the next month will be all about winning games and reaching the podium. First comes the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers in Pamplona on August 24 against Iceland, and then in Almere Stad on August 27 against the Netherlands.

Then will come Tbilisi, Georgia, and a slate of EuroBasket games that are sure to be the toughest test yet for new-look Spain.

Among those optimistic that the country will fortify its No. 2 FIBA World Ranking is Tokyo Games Olympian Usman Garuba, who is coming off a tough first season in the NBA with the Houston Rockets after a wrist injury in January forced him to the operating table.

"It's different with respect to recent years," he said of Spain. "But we're working to get to know each other better. We're working to find our style.

"We know that many people are saying that we don't have the team that we had in the past but we have in our mind that if we give our all on the court, I honestly believe that we can even win the EuroBasket. We have a lot of grit and fight. We're really looking forward to the EuroBasket. It's important for this group of young players to start well. We have many years ahead."

Win is pretty much all Garuba did in his youth national team days. As a 14-year-old he was MVP of the 2016 FIBA U16 European Championship after spearheading the country's run to the title in Radom, Poland.

At the 2018 FIBA U16 European Championship, Garuba made the All-Star Five after Croatia pipped Spain to the crown in the Final, 71-70.

Then at the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship, Garuba again was an All-Star Five selection after helping fire Spain to the title while averaging 15.6 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

Garuba played 21 games in FIBA youth events and had 18 double-doubles as those Spain teams went a combined 20-1, the lone defeat coming by a single point.

"It would be something very special for me to win with the senior team having won gold and other medals with the youth teams," he said. "It would be great to do so. We know it's more complicated but we are working on that. We are working and improving and eager for the tournament to begin."

In his first tournament with the senior national team, the Tokyo Olympics, Spain finished sixth after falling to nemesis USA in the Quarter-Finals.

That was the last event for the Gasol brothers.

"They are special players," Garuba said. "They gave their all for our country, have represented our country in the NBA; they won titles. They are legends. It's going to be difficult to match that but not impossible. We're working hard."

Garuba says practices have been going well and that Spain will be a difficult opponent.

"The level is very good," he said. "We're growing, there's a good mixture of young players and veterans. That gives us a good balance. We can play faster, when can slow it down. It gives us options. We're ready for that."

Spain go into the Second Round of European Qualifiers for the World Cup in good shape, but with a lot of work to do. They are third in Group L behind Italy and Iceland, though each team has a 3-1 record, while Georgia are fourth at 2-2, Ukraine fifth at 1-3 and Netherlands sixth at 0-4. The teams that finish in the top three will advance to next year's World Cup, which will be staged in Indonesia, Japan and Philippines.

"These two games are very important," Garuba said. "They are important to qualify. They are important to prepare for the EuroBasket but we also have to win. These games are going to be good looking ahead to the EuroBasket."

Then at the EuroBasket in Group A, first up for Spain is Bulgaria on September 1. The games are going to come fast and furious. The clashes to follow will be with Georgia, Belgium, Montenegro and Turkey.

"It's a good group," Garuba said. "At EuroBasket, there are no easy opponents We need to begin the competition focused because every game counts. We want to be first in our group. We are going to fight for it. We are going to give our all on the court and then see with who we cross with."

After his first season in the NBA, Garuba didn't know if he'd  be able to play.

"For me, it's very important," he said. "The truth, I didn't know if I would go because I was not playing much in the NBA, I had injuries.

"With the bad luck I've had, I thought I wasn't going to make it. But I have to thank my team, Houston, for letting me go in the end because I know it's not easy. I wanted to go because I wanted to have that feeling again of playing, of competing.

"It is also very important for me to represent my country whenever possible. It gives me pride. I know at this EuroBasket, I need to take a big leap forward with the team. I'm working on that."

There is also a very important issue of bragging rights since Garuba will go up against Houston teammate Alperen Sengun of Turkey.

Rockets duo Sengun (left) and Garuba were 2019 U18 European Championship All-Star Five selections

"We talk about it almost every day, we message each other about this," the Spaniard said, laughing.

"He's a great player. We've played against each other since we were 15, 16 years old. He has grown a lot and I'm very happy for him. I really want to go up against him. It's always a great game when Spain play Turkey."

As for the large number of NBA players competing at the EuroBasket, Garuba said: "It's going to be very competitive. Every game is going to be competitive. There will be no easy games. They are all tough rivals. There are groups that you look at and think it's crazy. I think it's going to be the most balanced EuroBasket."

FIBA