Spain is still going to be elite after Pau, Navarro

[rickrolled]

Marc Gasol is 31, turns 32 in january and will be 35 in Tokyo Olympics. So he can still compete for Olympic medal in Tokyo.

If he plays in eurobasket next year, and Ibaka replaces Mirotic (who sucks) they'll be elite.

Navarro, Pau are going to be missed for Spain.

But not Calderon and Reyes, those guys are finished even at the international level. So it's Pau and Navarro out, Marc and Ibaka in. I think it's a wash at the worst case, but likely better, as shooters are easier to find than bigs. Marc/Ibaka > Pau/Navarro.

Guys like fernandez, rodriguez still has a few years before they retire so they'll likely stay in this transition period.

[90sgoat]

I don't think Ibaka is a good bet, likely older than registered and looks slow now. Maybe Rubio can learn to shoot!

[rickrolled]

I don't think Ibaka is a good bet, likely older than registered and looks slow now. Maybe Rubio can learn to shoot!

I wonder why Adria Gasol didn't get his brothers' basketball genes. He looks like a Pau clone (face) and even his limbs are long as Pau. He's only 22 but I thought he was going to UCLA, what happend with him ?

[Pitimiquel]

I don't think Ibaka is a good bet, likely older than registered and looks slow now. Maybe Rubio can learn to shoot!

I wonder why Adria Gasol didn't get his brothers' basketball genes. He looks like a Pau clone (face) and even his limbs are long as Pau. He's only 22 but I thought he was going to UCLA, what happend with him ?

Hahahaha Adria is a person who sucks in sports. He has not borned to play. He went in UCLA because they thought that they could convert him into a good player, but he didnt play any game. Now he is playing in the Spanish 6th division

[mojo13]

Marc Gasol is 31, turns 32 in january and will be 35 in Tokyo Olympics. So he can still compete for Olympic medal in Tokyo.

If he plays in eurobasket next year, and Ibaka replaces Mirotic (who sucks) they'll be elite.

Navarro, Pau are going to be missed for Spain.

But not Calderon and Reyes, those guys are finished even at the international level. So it's Pau and Navarro out, Marc and Ibaka in. I think it's a wash at the worst case, but likely better, as shooters are easier to find than bigs. Marc/Ibaka > Pau/Navarro.

Guys like fernandez, rodriguez still has a few years before they retire so they'll likely stay in this transition period.

Spain just seems so heavily reliant on Pau that it is doubtful they can maintain their level. their is reason both Marc and Pau rarely play together. Usually one of them is hurt in the offseason and needs to rest. Marc's future participation can;t be more than 50/50 right? What is Spain going to look like with no inside offensive presence and no one to guard the paint? Maybe the Hernangómez bros will pan out. Juan look particularly good in summer league this summer. Nuggets fans sure seem excited about him.

I think Spain drops a little to the level of the rest of the pack. Spain, France, Serbia, Croatia, Australia, Canada, Greece, Lithuania, Turkey whoever else - no clear cut Tier 2 team after the USA. Any team can beat the other - it will depend on turn-out, chemistry, coaching, match-ups...whoever is feeling it at the time.

[jptremblay]

Marc Gasol/Willy Hernangomez
Mirotic/Hernangomez
Abrines (OKC)/Claver
Rudy Fernández/Pau Ribas
Sergio Rodriguez/Ricky/Llull

And don't forget about Pau, he has said that he makes his decision year to year, he probably isn't going to next year Eurobasket due to rest, but he may return to his last top competition in 2018 world cup...on maybe he retires at Tokyo, who knows...

[XTraderXL]

Maybe Spain will use Dončič as their naturalized player in the future. They like to steal players from others and I hear there has been an offer made to him already...

[jptremblay]

Maybe Spain will use Dončič as their naturalized player in the future. They like to steal players from others and I hear there has been an offer made to him already...

Hmmm...like who? IBAKA chosed Spain because Congo team isn't even competing I think, and he came to Spain at 15 years old and he became a professional player there, he always has said that he is gratefully with Spain.
Mirotic came here at 15 too and Spain offered him to represent the national team, and he accepted, no one obligated him.
Doncic came here even younger than those two
...what he decide is something relate to himself.

Does Spain benefit from taking those guys here ? Obviously, but if they decide to play for Spain is because they want , yes, maybe it's only because with Spain they've contender medal possibility dor years....or maybe because they're gratefully with the country that take care of them...what you want....but they choose Spain and we even know what Doncic are thinking.

[XTraderXL]

Well, I have heard the Spanish assosiation was offering money to players to change their basketball passport. If that is true or not, I dont know but I know for a fact that Turkey has been doing this for years.
Anyway, I meant "stealing" more as a joke but I was not joking about Dončič playing for Spain in the future. The kid is one of the best prospects out of Europe in the last 15 years and every team would be glad to have him. With that said, he said he wants to play for Slovenia so I hope he wil))

[jptremblay]

Well, I have heard the Spanish assosiation was offering money to players to change their basketball passport. If that is true or not, I dont know but I know for a fact that Turkey has been doing this for years.
Anyway, I meant "stealing" more as a joke but I was not joking about Dončič playing for Spain in the future. The kid is one of the best prospects out of Europe in the last 15 years and every team would be glad to have him. With that said, he said he wants to play for Slovenia so I hope he wil))

That's false, totally false. It's more of clubs thing than from the spanish program, Madrid and FCBarcelona use to take guys from every country that looks like a good prospect, like Doncic , Hezonja, Erikson... Sevilla did the same by taking Porzingis and Satoransky when they were below 16 I think ... they offered the young guys a better developement program, they give to their families better conditions and PAY them ( but for to play for their team, not to naturalize them).
Then, obviously , spanish federatioon select all the players avaivable to play for the Spanish team , and if Doncic , Mirotic or who else are avaivable to be selected, then sure they will have and offer, but not paying them for sure.
To finish, as an spaniard , I hope that Doncic choose his country (SLO) because I don't want to take others talent... but, if he freely decides to play for Spain, I will not reject them .

[sisibilio]

Maybe Spain will use Dončič as their naturalized player in the future. They like to steal players from others and I hear there has been an offer made to him already...

Hmmm...like who? IBAKA chosed Spain because Congo team isn't even competing I think, and he came to Spain at 15 years old and he became a professional player there, he always has said that he is gratefully with Spain.
Mirotic came here at 15 too and Spain offered him to represent the national team, and he accepted, no one obligated him.
Doncic came here even younger than those two
...what he decide is something relate to himself.

Just for the record, Ibaka went to Spain when he was 17-18 not 15.

[NuggetsWY]

In my mind, Spain's strength is in two things: first and most important, is a unified playing team. The second and almost as important isn't the level of talent of the top player(s) but in the level of talent across 12 players. I seriously doubt Spain will become anything less than elite in the foreseeable future.

[BHF]

The way the flop and cheat no doubt about it.

[ensiferum]

The way the flop and cheat no doubt about it.

butthurt.

[VUK1]

If Catalunya declares independence they'll fracture like the ex Yu


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[Mickey8]

Spain will be good but not dominant as it used to be with prime Pau Gasol and other complimentary players.

[TKainZero]

Maybe Spain will use Dončič as their naturalized player in the future. They like to steal players from others and I hear there has been an offer made to him already...

Hmmm...like who? IBAKA chosed Spain because Congo team isn't even competing I think, and he came to Spain at 15 years old and he became a professional player there, he always has said that he is gratefully with Spain.
Mirotic came here at 15 too and Spain offered him to represent the national team, and he accepted, no one obligated him.
Doncic came here even younger than those two
...what he decide is something relate to himself.

Just for the record, Ibaka went to Spain when he was 17-18 not 15.

Consideringibaka is playing like a 32 year old man, who knows

[Mirotic12]

Spain will be good but not dominant as it used to be with prime Pau Gasol and other complimentary players.

Exactly. They will be medal contenders, but without prime Pau and prime Navarro, they are never going to be as good as they were at that peak time.

[a-French-Fan]

Hmmm...like who? IBAKA chosed Spain because Congo team isn't even competing I think, and he came to Spain at 15 years old and he became a professional player there, he always has said that he is gratefully with Spain.
Mirotic came here at 15 too and Spain offered him to represent the national team, and he accepted, no one obligated him.
Doncic came here even younger than those two
...what he decide is something relate to himself.

Just for the record, Ibaka went to Spain when he was 17-18 not 15.

Consideringibaka is playing like a 32 year old man, who knows

Actually he went first to France (his father lives in France), spent 3 months in France and then went to Spain (with really strange circumstances). More money in spanish basket-ball ^^ Then I find it normal that after becoming a pro in Spain he chose to play for Spain.

Spain (and more surprisingly ... Serbia) tried to recruit Doumbouya last year because in France there is no exception for athletes, and his naturalization took time.

For me for Ibaka case, the matter is if he was not a great basketball player, ccould he be naturalized? That, Russia, Georgia, Macedonia give a passport to a guy for playing, I don't care, but Spain a UE country, I am quite disappointed.
Anyone knows how many years an immigrant as to stay in Spain for applying for nationality?

[a-French-Fan]

Spain will be good but not dominant as it used to be with prime Pau Gasol and other complimentary players.

Exactly. They will be medal contenders, but without prime Pau and prime Navarro, they are never going to be as good as they were at that peak time.

Without Pau and Navarro, Spain is still Spain. A great culture of win. Spain has dominated European basketball for a dozen years and it won't stop now.
Maybe it's true, Spain won't be dominant anymore. Spain also had some luck with other nations screwing up. Serbia was out the contenders for some years. France had problems:able to win against everybody, but also able to lose againt against anybody (and really screwed up in 2003, 2005, 2015 and 2016). Italy had bad times too, so as Russia even if they won a eurobasket during Spain domination.
I would say Spain will be as good that it used, but other countries may stop BS!!