The secret of our success |
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By Kiko Martin - FEB Communication Dept. How do you consider the summer that just ended, for Spanish basketball? I think the Spanish national teams have experienced an incredible summer. Almost unique. Even if you'll always try to do better, as good sportsmen. We enjoyed the success of almost all national teams, with the climax of the gold medal at the Eurobasket of the senior men's team, and we enjoyed also the way those victories arrived, which raises further motivation for the future. Then we still have a fascinating and difficult challenge like the London Olympics. I wanted to be in Alcobendas with the technical team, but I couldn't make it, as I was coming back from Sardinia, so I shared my views with a written report on what happened, which also includes my thoughts on the direction in which top level basketball is going. The Euroleague will help in this, as we can see in there the trends for the coming years. Is the season before the Olympic Games lived in a particular way? Actually I think sometimes it happens, to be there with your head. In London. You think how it will be. I've never been to the Olympics. Those who have been there can visualise it, but I have only seen it on television or heard the stories of my colleagues, including from other sports. It will be interesting to see how great sportsmen can have the opportunity to share a meal or the same building with athletes from distant countries often met for the first time at the opening ceremony. This is an event that transcends the boundaries of sport. It seems as if the world stops during the Games and having the opportunity to participate in an event like this and moreover with the potential of winning a medal is a strong motivation. The Spanish national team will list many NBA players and we do not know yet how it will end because of the lockout ... Yes, there are still many possible options, and it is difficult to answer the question of what will be the consequences for our team. A shorter season without reducing the number of games may be too great a burden, because we all know that most injuries are caused by the pace of the schedule in the NBA. Including those latent injuries that are there but "hidden under the carpet", pretending that nothing happened and then treated during the summer, which poses a risk to national teams. Nevertheless, I hope that there is the possibility of an agreement, for the good of basketball. For our younger players the competition is very useful, while veterans can benefit from more rest. The United States also participates in the Games with a team formed by NBA players and they have set July the 4th as the beginning of their preparation: the lockout may also influence it and force them to change plans. Now it seems there is more optimism about the outcome ... The efficiency of the Spanish basketball was recently recognised with an award by the Spanish advertising industry. Are you surprised about it? Obviously it is an event, a unique recognition. Almost every industry/world is always self-referential and awarding an external entity speaks loud about the choice they made: about their humbleness and vision to expand their range of options to an entity such as the Spanish Baketball Federation and the national team, which had to deal with success and defeat, with difficult moments, moments in which problems could be seen from the outside even though in reality there were none inside... media exposure, if you're not focused, can affect you. There were difficult situations from which we came out stronger. One of the things I'm most proud of is the harmony and cohesion, mutual help and feeling of being all part of a team that has lived together three quiet years, in a strong, unselfish working environment. The external pressures exists and if there is no sincere cohesion cracks may appear. They have been three years of great unity and this is one of the great secrets of our success. How has it been adapting to the dual role of coach of the Spanish national team and of an Italian club? Very good. I noticed it when I was in Spain this year and for a period not coaching a club: the reality is that there is almost no difference, because when you go to see a live game you miss many more. In fact, thanks to television and the internet you can watch all games at home: it is when you start travelling that you lose more games than you normally do. My contact with the coaching staff is permanent and the analysis of the games is constant, no matter where I am. This team has a set core of players and then we are open to evaluate what the leagues will show: they not only showcase players who could be be part of the national team, but also provide tactical options that could be used with the national team itself, where having little time you have to take advantage of what the players are used to, rather than wasting days in creating new, unnatural movements, because there is no time to develop them. Despite living in Italy you are resident in the province of Malaga, and work closely with the Andalusian Basketball Federation, which is turning 25... Yes I am very fond of the region, by now I've become an adopted Andalusian. I am resident in Andalusia since I arrived in this land, of which I carry with me great memories and personal relationships with people that give you a lot. The successes with the team which has been the reference of Spanish basketball in recent years, Malaga, the everyday experiences, the support to Fundacion Cesare Scariolo's clinics by the Andalusian Federation, the meetings with basketball coaches... The community of Andalusian basketball is alive because despite not being particularly gifted for basketball, morphologically speaking, the hard work and favourable climatic conditions mean that this sport has deep roots. This gives great value to the promotion of basketball that they have put in place, a sport that has become part of their daily lives. Congratulations for all this: I hope to spend another 25 years among them in order to continue to bring my small contribution to Andalusian basketball. |
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