Chus Mateo, about Aday Mara: “I don’t want to put the focus on him, but I think it will be important”
Chus Mateocoach of the Spanish team, declared this Wednesday that, although he does not want to focus the expectations on the debutant too much Aday Maranumber 12 in the NBA draft this year, will be “important” in their schemes with a view to the next two qualifying games for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.
The Spanish coach, who announced this Wednesday the call for the matches against Portugal and Greece, corresponding to the second phase of the qualification, with Baba Miller and Aday Mara As great news, he tried to lower the expectation around the 2.21 young man, but highlighted the specific weight he can achieve due to his ability to “pass” the ball.
“I think he will adapt. I liked the style we are trying to assimilate, it has shown us that everyone can be useful. If there’s one thing Aday does well, it’s passing the ball well. He has to touch the ball. Without putting the focus on it either, but I am convinced that it will be important. Every time he has the ball something good happens. We have to achieve it with the systems. Then he’ll run,” he said about the Oklahoma City Thunder center.
In addition, there will be the opportunity to debut in Zaragoza, his hometown, in the pavilion Prince Philip on August 28, something that could have “influenced” Mara’s decision: “It must have had an influence, but when the venue was not yet known, he already had a commitment to come. I really wanted to because I hadn’t been able to do it before.“.
About Baba Millerthe other big news, and the rest of the NBA players, thanked them for their willingness and that of their respective franchises to be able to respond to the call of ‘The Family’.
“There is work behind it to make this possible, we have been in contact with their franchises and their representatives. We have really been talking to them without bothering them too much in the Summer League, but with the commitment that they wanted to be with us. That commitment has become a reality. The Díaz Graham brothers and Eli Ndiaye have also participated. We are always in contact and everything has been easy“Mateo stated.
The arrival of the five NBA players, in a mix of experience and youth, could be a great incentive for Prince Felipe to commit to the Spanish team.
“Some make their debut with us and that is an exciting point. It gives me pleasure to see them with that freshness and audacity of wanting to become great. Fearless. That’s good to get us all excited. Although that alone is not enough, we will have to learn together in victory and defeat. There are also other key players with more experience,” he said.
About the return of Juancho Hernangomezwho had not played with the national team since the last Eurobasket, indicated that he did not come earlier due to the demands of his season with Panathinaikos: “He has always conveyed his commitment to me. He has had a hard and difficult season, with a lot of physical exposure. That is why he could not come in July. My hope is that he will be well in August. He is also committed to guiding the young people who come“.
Likewise, he valued the “germ” implanted in the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB), in which all the lower categories of ‘La Familia’ are involved, as an idea on which to grow and develop.
Elisa Aguilar highlights the unity of the national teams
The president of the FEB, Elisa Aguilarwas “excited” about Mateo’s list and rated the team’s first qualifying phase positively by achieving a 5-1 record.
In addition, he highlighted the unity of the men’s and women’s teams, which will coincide at the end of August in Zaragoza, since the team of Miguel Mendez He will finalize his preparation for the World Cup in Germany in September. For this reason, he hoped that the Zaragoza public will support both teams and put up the ‘no tickets’ sign.
