Spain: The president of the federation defends the presence of naturalized Lorenzo Brown in the national team

In an interview for ASthe president of the Spanish federation, Jorge Garbajosa returns to the controversy which shook Spanish basketball following the express naturalization of the American Lorenzo Brown (1.96 m, 32 years old) and his inclusion in the national team.

“We try to be responsible and not to enter into the debates which are in the domain of social networks, even if some union presidents fall into it”, he declares, referring to the position of the players’ union which does not is not favorable. “You invest so much money and so much time, there are so many people who have been working for years, with the results we are getting… At a time like this, and with the wave of injuries we have had, to think that by naturalizing a player one does not work on the formation or that other players find themselves without space, it seems absolutely absurd to me. »

Spain thus uses the possibility granted by FIBA ​​to use the services of a naturalized player in the national team as it did in the recent past with Nikola Mirotic and Serge Ibaka.

“It’s an absolutely legal resource, the only thing we did was follow a FIBA ​​rule, just like many other teams big and small have done. I understand that there are discussions on the networks and in the bars, without a deep understanding of this. And they are respectable, but it bothers me a lot that there are some who come to give their opinion to make noise when they are not working for the training. This is a debate for the networks, but it does not correspond to reality. It strikes me as populism with a lack of depth and content. I cannot close the door, in a moment of absolute need, to a player who wants to be there, who makes a brutal effort to be there. He has an exquisite education, he has integrated perfectly. He was very respectful with the captains, with the people who have been there longer. He was, especially the first days, with his eyes open, learning in the field and also in terms of coexistence, methodology, travel, what this family is that we talk about so much, and in which he entered with great care until he is a full member. The team welcomed him with open arms, for his human quality and for his sporting qualities. In the end, what we want is to win, to be competitive, to have a group coexistence that allows us to be stronger on the pitch later. And Lorenzo has not only adapted, but he’s a very, very important asset both on and off the pitch. »

It’s called Realpolitik.

Photo : Lorenzo Brown et Jorge Garbajosa