The Bucks Centre, which has not played for Spain since 2014, has shown its intention to participate in EuroBasket. FEB is working on the unprecedented inclusion of Lorenzo Brown. Like Mirotic, the two could not match

On 10 September 2014, Serge Ibaka He was playing what was his last match with the national team so far. Unfortunate memory, those quarter-finals of the National World Cup at the Palace against France, always seemed like the end of a relationship of 50 nights, three tournaments, one continental gold and one Olympic silver. Now, seven and a half years later, his name resurfaces with that of Spain: the Bucks centre, as confirmed by EL Mundo, have shown their availability to participate in the next EuroBasket.

what sounds like good news at first sergio scariologoodbye last olympic summer with more gasol brothersHowever, there seems to be a problem for the Spanish Federation. Because news was leaking these days that in view of the urgent need in the base position (injured.) Ricky Rubio and Carlos Alokniwithdrawn from selection Sergio Rodriguez…), the mechanism to nationalize an American director had begun to activate. and the chosen man was lorenzo brown,

The return of the nationalized Ibaka would close the doors to that possibility: by FIBA ​​rules, only one can go per team, already a struggle when Congolese and nico mirotic They were available years ago. In fact, Serge’s relationship with FEB, with whom he had permanent contact but never returned, has always been marked by controversy. After that World Cup, it was the smaller Mirotic at the EuroBasket 2015 (gold) and Rio Games (bronze). Neither of them featured in the 2017 continental tournament and their names were crossed again for the World Cup in China. So, now the Barra player declined the selection and again, too late, thought of an Ibaka (that year he won the ring with Scariolo) who had already planned his summer with his Foundation. .

“invent something”

But the possible express ‘signature’ of the UNICS base opens a unique precedent. Nationalized players have always had links with Spain in all past cases. from the pioneers Wayne Brabender and Clifford Luco In the 70s, until De La Cruz, Sibilio, Johnny Rogers, Mike Smith and Chuck Cornegay, all ACB players at that time. Most recently in our country, Ibaka and Mirotic were formed.

Brown is almost 32 years old and hardly seems like a temporary patch for the tournament to be played from 1 September (Spain plays the first leg in Georgia, the final will be in Berlin). He spent two seasons with Scariolo at the Raptors and, as far as is known, has only set foot in Spain on his tours of Euroleague games with Red Star Belgrade, Fenerbahçe and UNICS, his final team.

A few months ago Koch talked about “inventing something” –We have to try the imagination”- To reduce the hole in the base position, where the Spaniard always showed muscle and abundance. Without Ricky or Uncles, Quino Colom, Guillem Vives, Alberto Daz, Ferrn Bassas or Dani Prez He has been kept as a substitute and has thus successfully defended the selection in classification windows where NBA or Euroleague players cannot participate. Sergio Lull, Jaime Fernandez and Alberto Abalde There will be other options for a group in full reinvestment and it will be led by brothers. Hernangmez and the promising Osman Garuba and Santi Aldamaamong others.

The Lorenzo Brown substitute, other than blisters, doesn’t seem to be administratively simple or financially cheap. As the process progressed, the procedures should go through the Council of Ministers and they will go a long way. Ibaka, for his part, has returned to competition and was part of the Bucks’ rotation after back problems that kept him off the courts for almost the entirety of 2021.