BarcelonaAfter winning the league for the first time in seven years, Barça start the 2021-2022 season with the aim of achieving the highest European glory. Last season, Barça lost just five points in the Euroleague at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, in the final lost to Istanbul’s Anadolu Efes. With only nine first team players, Jasikevicius’ team returns to work without knowing the decision of Pau Gasol, who at 41 has not yet said whether to retire or not.
This Tuesday Orihuela, Mirotic, Calathes, Davies, Smits, Kuric, Sanli, Martínez and Jokubaitis, along with seven players from the subsidiary: Juani Marcos, Agustín Ubal, Rafa Villar, Michael Caicedo, Gael Bonilla, Ibou Badji and James Nnaji, have overcome the medical examination. Training will begin at the Palau on Wednesday. When the team returns to the court, they will miss some faces who played an important role in winning the ACB title. Artem Pustovyi, Víctor Claver, Adam Hanga, Léo Westermann and Leandro Bolmaro have left Barça.
Despite losing key pieces, the new additions promise to make up for the casualties. Sertaç Sanli, pivot of 2.13 meters, comes from the current Euroleague champion. The Turk, with an average of 15.5 points per game in the final four of Cologne, joins Barça to try to get two consecutive European crowns. The young Rokas Jokubaitis also makes his debut in Jasikevicius’ team, after being drafted by the New York Knicks and having participated in the NBA Summer League. The Lithuanian base arrives at Barça with the aim of growing in one of the best leagues in Europe.
The incorporation section is closed – for now – by Nicolás Laprovittola, from Real Madrid, where he has played the last two seasons. The Argentine base has averaged 11.6 points in his career at the ACB since 2015. Along with Abrines and Higgins, he will later join training. In the case of Catalan and Laprovittola, they have more days off for their participation in the Games. About Higgins, the club has announced that it has permission for a personal matter.
Before all this movement dancing, a few days after Barça were crowned ACB champions, the club closed three major renovations. Sergi Martínez and Cory Higgins until 2024 and Abrines until 2026. With these extensions, Barça ensures the continuity of a young value of the house and the last years in fullness of two talents essential for the external rotation of Jasikevicius . With the roster almost closed, one piece remains to be placed. Pau Gasol must communicate his future. The best rookie of the NBA in 2002 has the entire Barça basketball section pending its decision. After putting an end to his stage with the selection at the Tokyo Olympics, Gasol has in his hands to choose whether to continue playing for Barça or retire permanently from the courts.
With or without Pau, Jasikevicius’ Barça have their first official match on September 4: the semifinals of the Catalan League against Joventut. The next day he would play the final or the match for third place. On 11 September, Barça will play in the semi-final of the Endesa Super Cup against Valencia Basket and their league debut will take place on 19 September, against UCAM Murcia. The European challenge will begin on October 1, with the first Euroleague match against Dawn in Berlin.
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