Enric Sanmartín made history for Bàsquet Girona on October 13, 2026, stepping onto the floor in Oostende, Belgium, to become the first academy-produced player in club history to appear in a European fixture.
From Palau Blaugrana to Oostende
Sanmartín’s European appearance arrived more than a year after his top-flight debut in the Liga ACB. That domestic milestone occurred on May 25, 2025, against FC Barcelona at the Palau Blaugrana.
Pau Sala holds the distinction of being the first Bàsquet Girona academy player to debut in the ACB, paving the way for Sanmartín, Ízan Soler, and Khory Brunot. Soler and Brunot round out the quartet of homegrown talents progressing through the club’s U22 system.
Rising Through the U22 Ranks and Elite Opportunities
Born in Girona with prior stints in local youth systems and Barcelona before returning to join Marc Gasol’s U18 setup, Sanmartín is an aggressive guard working toward a permanent spot in the senior rotation. Head coach Moncho Fernández has doled out intermittent opportunities over recent campaigns, handing the teenager minutes against powerhouses like Real Madrid, Baskonia, Unicaja, Barcelona, and Lleida. Across five total ACB appearances spanning two seasons, Sanmartín has accumulated twelve minutes of top-tier experience.
‼️ 𝐎𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Tal com vam avançar a @GironaMedia, el Bàsquet Girona competirà a la Lliga U22🏀 Enric Sanmartín, Oriol Molist i Joan Esqueu són alguns dels noms que formarien part de la plantilla✍️🏻 @andreucollcarbo https://t.co/92NFlSHnMj
At the U22 level under coach Xavi Roselló, Sanmartín has elevated his production. He is averaging 15.5 points and 5 rebounds across 26 minutes per contest, outperforming his metrics from the previous league campaign.
Next Steps in Fontajau
The milestone in Oostende precedes a domestic test in Fontajau, where Bàsquet Girona returns to league action. Sanmartín balances his ongoing development between Roselló’s U22 side and Fernández’s first-team squad as the club continues to integrate homegrown prospects into senior competition.
