In these times in which everything is measured by figures, preferably if they break records, in the Baskonia-Bilbao Basket derby a circumstance that remains for posterity went unnoticed: David Monge Lantarón, who was able to scratch a few minutes in a great detail of Mumbrú towards him and his teammates from the Basterrechea (19 years) and Chacón (17) quarry, He became the youngest player to perform with the black jersey in the ACB. Born on May 18, 2005. That is, he stepped onto an elite court at 16 years, 6 months and 23 days, or, what is the same, 16 years and 206 days. He played a minute and a second, a blink, and did not have time to contribute something to the statistics. A new face, so unknown that even the ACB renamed him ‘Monk’. In this way, he succeeded Chacón himself, who made his debut at 16 years, 8 months and 22 days, surpassing Splitter, who did the same at 16 years, 9 months and 18 days. The fight against Spahija’s team also allowed three Bilbao players on the court for the first time at the same time.
David began his basketball activity at the Saskibaloi Eskola de Ikastola Begoñazpi directed by his father, Germán, in 2011 when he was only 6 years old. There He developed his participation in School Sports until the 2015-16 season, in which the children’s team from the school merged with the Berriotxoa School as there were not enough children in Begoñazpi. That season they competed in the Bizkaia school league under the name Berrioñazpi. In the 2017-18 season, he fully incorporated as a federated player to Club Berriotxoa, where he continued to grow during his childhood stage, already playing some games with the Santutxu club cadet and junior teams.
In 2019-20 he signed for Bilbao Basket to play the Basque Cadet League, simultaneous matches with the junior. He is a shooting guard who can act as a base. In the current campaign, he performs the preseason with the ACB first team and simultaneously participates with the junior and senior team of Primera Nacional, until Mumbrú summons him for the first time with the ACB team to make him debut in the aftermath of the Basque derby held at the Buesa Arena. In addition, he has participated from Minibasket to Cadets in the teams of Bizkaia and Euskadi, as well as in the Spanish Championship of Cadet Clubs in the 2020-21 season. His father has been president of the Biscayan and Basque Federation, and a candidate for the presidency of the Spanish Federation. For Bilbao Basket, as important as their skills for the game is their academic training. Monge simultaneously, not without great effort, his passion for the basket with excellent grades. As a player he has great vision of the game, a good wrist and is an excellent passer (he loses very few balls). He likes to act in a team more than personal display. He is very responsive and all his coaches have been delighted with him. Of course, he must improve his strength and penetration contact game. He has talent and a maturity much greater than 16 years.
The record for precocity in ACB is held by Bagayoko, the Malian power forward from Fuenlabrada who debuted in April at the age of 14 years and seven months.. He beat Ricky Rubio, who had been exhibiting him since October 15, 2005, the year Monge was born, when the now Cavaliers player was 14 years, 11 months and 24 days old, in a game between his team, Joventut, and Granada. Bagayoko’s debut contrasted with the other extreme, that of three players who were over 40 years old: Oliver (Obradoiro), Felipe Reyes (Real Madrid) and Pau Gasol (Barcelona). These last two withdrew at the end of the course. The oldest in the history of the competition are Darryl Middleton with 44 years and Mike Higgins, with 43.
Precocity records in the ACB
14 years and 227 days. Bassala Bagayoko (Fuenlabrada, in 2021)
14 years and 359 days. Ricky Rubio (Joventut, in 2005)
15 years and 99 days. Ángel Rebolo (Breogán, in 1990)
15 years and 305 days. Carlos Alocén (Zaragoza, in 2016)
16 years and 9 days. Pablo Sánchez (Málaga, in 2018)
16 years and 61 days. Luka Doncic (Real Madrid, in 2015)
