Why basketball?
For my brother, who is 11 years older than me. When I was little I always went to his games, and right away I wanted to play too. And # every time I liked it more, so … From Torrejón I went to Real Madrid for children and, from there, I climbed through the different categories.
When did you know that you could become a professional gamer?
In my case, it was when I was 17 years old, at junior age, when I saw it possible to reach the elite. At that time I was already competing in the EBA League and would go up from time to time to train with the Real Madrid first team. That’s when I knew that if I kept trying my hardest I could do it.
Doncic, Radoncic, Barreiro, Dos Anjos, Emanuel Cate … He was part of that historic junior Real Madrid that had no rival.
We did not lose any game throughout the year, in any of the competitions, and we won the Madrid Championship, the Spanish Championship and the junior Euroleague. A great experience.
With Dino Radoncic he will coincide again now, at the Casademont.
It’s a good friend. I played with him in the Real Madrid youth academy, but also in the first team, in the 2017-18 season, and we have always gotten along very well. He is a very hard-working boy, with a lot of talent, and he has just had a great season at Gipuzkoa. He is sure to offer a great performance here, in Zaragoza, and he will help the team a lot to meet its objectives.
And Doncic? Have you been surprised by his brilliant appearance in the NBA?
Half yes and half no. He was convinced that he was going to do very well, because he is a player who is always growing, who is always taking steps forward in his game and in taking responsibility. He did it in Real Madrid, in the Endesa League, in the Euroleague… and now he has also done it in the NBA. He did know that Luka would adapt quickly to the competition and that it would be easy for him to show his talent. However, he did not imagine such an outstanding performance in such a short space of time, nor that he would become ‘All Star’ so soon or that he would already be part of the best quintet in the League. It has left us all impressed, and that is going to achieve many more things.
He has just renewed with Dallas with stratospheric figures: 207 million in five years.
Luka has been one of the members of the best quintet in the NBA; that is to say, he is among the five best players in the world.
You also had a precocious debut: you made your debut in the Endesa League in 2014, when you were only 17 years old.
I was in the Real Madrid quarry and had been training from time to time with the first team, under Pablo Laso. The coach called me up for the game against Gizpuzkoa Basket and # then I was lucky, because Madrid achieved a wide advantage on the scoreboard. That’s why I was able to play. It was very nice, although I remember that when I jumped on the track I was a little scared, because I was a 17-year-old kid and I was not used to playing in front of so many people: there were about 2,000 people in the stands. An unforgettable experience.
What did your two seasons at Obradoiro bring you?
They helped me a lot in every way. I had just finished my junior stage and was beginning to take my first steps as a professional player. Going to Santiago made it easier for me to adapt to the Endesa League, which is a much stronger category, where you always have to be fully focused. It was a very beautiful stage, decisive in my career, and in which I was lucky to have Moncho Fernández as coach. He bet on me, despite my youth, despite my inexperience, and gave me confidence and minutes. I will always be very grateful to Moncho and the Obradorio.
He returned to Real Madrid in 2017, where he reunited with Doncic, and was champion of the Endesa League and the Euroleague.
It was a great season. Sharing a dressing room with such good players is always a plus. Rudy, Llull, Felipe Reyes, Doncic, Facundo Campazzo… You learn a lot from them. The following year Doncic, who had gone to the NBA, was not there, but we also won the Endesa League and the Super Cup.
Then he went to Tenerife, where he has played the last two exercises.
It was also a great stage. I went there with the intention of taking another step forward, to improve, to continue evolving; and until I got injured, I was doing it handsomely.
By then he was completing the best season of his career. His progression, however, came to a halt in February 2020, when he was injured with the senior Spanish team.
It was a painful period (he suffered the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee), because at that moment I was offering my best level. Especially hard was the first month after the injury, since it is when you have surgery, when you cannot walk, when you must rest. But the important thing is that I managed to fully recover, that the injury is now part of the past, and that I can compete one hundred percent again.
He returned to the courts ten months later, against Baskonia, and did so with remarkable records: 13 points and 2 rebounds in 15 minutes of play.
I remember that my first basket was a triple. That action gave me a lot of confidence, because I had come out very nervous, very anxious, after having been standing for so long.
And now, to continue growing …
That’s. I have been working all summer to make my knee even better if possible, and now to train with Casademont.
Why did you choose Zaragoza?
The technician called me, Jaume (Ponsarnau). And when he told me that he wanted me on his team, and also with an important role, that was an added bonus for me. Once the coach shows you that confidence, it becomes much easier to choose. Also, I like Zaragoza.
It is a basketball city.
It is an ideal place to grow, as many young players who have passed through here or who have left their quarry have shown. The club has worked very well for many years, and it also has a spectacular audience, which always supports and helps its people. I have visited Zaragoza as a rival and I have already experienced the atmosphere that is breathed in the stands. The team notices the drive of their fans a lot.
Fans will finally be able to go to the Príncipe Felipe pavilion this season.
It is undoubtedly good news. Hopefully as many fans as possible can come, because they are very necessary.
At the moment, only a percentage not exceeding 30% of the capacity is allowed.
I hope that with the vaccinations, the PCR tests and the different sanitary measures, it will soon be possible to reach 75%. We really need the fans, he is our sixth player.
What is your assessment of the squad?
I like. It is clear that we have a good team. At the end you go looking player by player and the squad looks very good. Now we all need to get to know each other, form a bloc, become a team and, little by little, progress to reach the first official match with the maximum guarantees.
What are the objectives of the team?
It will be seen as the season progresses. It’s still too early to tell, because we’re not even all training yet. However, we do hope to form a good block to compete, to be able to fight to sneak into the top eight finishers in the Endesa League and, at the same time, to play a great role in continental competition as well.
In this sense, Casademont is the first Spanish team to participate in the FIBA Europe Cup.
It is always good to play European competitions. Although it is a championship that I do not know too much about, we are very excited because we can go far and because, in addition, it will allow us to accumulate minutes, acquire more experience and grow as a team.
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