“La situación competitiva ha cambiado. Es el momento de hacerlo,” said Chus Mateo, announcing a roster that breaks a long-standing practice of avoiding EuroLeague players during congested club schedules.
Spain sits in second place in Group G of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers with a 5-2 record after losing its last two fixtures, leaving the squad in danger of missing a major international tournament.
To secure qualification, Mateo has named EuroLeague regulars Joel Parra and Darío Brizuela of Barcelona, Alberto Abalde and Jaime Pradilla of Real Madrid, Juancho Hernangómez of Panathinaikos, Santi Yusta of Efes, and Valencia pair Mario Saint-Supéry and Álvaro Cárdenas to the national team squad.
The selection comes as Spain prepares for four qualifying matches in late November, where they must win three to avoid elimination. Montenegro and Greece both sit close behind at 4-4 in an intensely tight group.
Barcelona, Valencia, and Panathinaikos players will compete in EuroLeague fixtures on Tuesday, Nov. 24, before immediately joining the national team expedition traveling to Montenegro for a game on Thursday, Nov. 26. Real Madrid and Efes players feature in EuroLeague matches on Wednesday, Nov. 25, and will bypass the Montenegro trip to join the squad directly ahead of a home match against Greece in Santiago de Compostela on Sunday, Nov. 29.
“Barcelona, Valencia y Panathinaikos juegan el martes y sus jugadores van a formar parte de la expedición que viaja a Montenegro. Cuidaremos las cargas. Pradilla, Abalde y Yusta con Efes juegan el miércoles, no viajan a Montenegro. Era la manera más eficiente,” Mateo said during the roster announcement at the Spanish Basketball Federation Museum in Alcobendas, Madrid.
“Los chicos, desde el primer momento, viendo que la situación era apretada, me han pedido formar parte de ello. Demuestra un gran compromiso,” Mateo said.
The wider 14-man roster includes Ferran Bassas and Pierre Oriola of Manresa, Francis Alonso of Breogán, Jaime Fernández of La Laguna Tenerife, Alex Reyes of Joventut, Oriol Paulí of Lleida, and Willy Hernangómez of Unicaja.
Six additional players join as guest invitees to help manage training sessions: Yankuba Sima of Alba de Berlín, Héctor Alderete of Tenerife, Carlos Alocén of Gran Canaria, Mikel Sanz of Lleida, Pablo Tamba of Manresa, and Adrián Torres of Joventut.
Spain travels to Podgorica to face Montenegro on Thursday, Nov. 26, before hosting Greece in Santiago de Compostela on Sunday, Nov. 29. The group stage concludes in February with an away fixture against Portugal and a final match against Montenegro on home soil.
“Si algo puedo decir es que es una convocatoria más extensa. Con jugadores que van a ayudarnos a prepararnos para las citas importantes que tenemos,” Mateo said, noting the necessity of structuring training differently due to the congested calendar.
La jornada 14 de la Euroliga se disputa el martes 24 y el miércoles 25 de noviembre, setting up a demanding travel and recovery schedule for the newly expanded Spanish national team squad.
