Sergio Scariolo has noticed an increasing decline in the presence and prominence of the Spanish player on his teams.
Elisa Aguilar, president of the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB), and Sergio Scariolo went together to the FEB Museum in Alcobendas (Madrid) to officialize the Italian coach's extension until 2028. This means that Scariolo will close his second tenure at the Los Angeles Games. He will celebrate 18 years at the helm of Spain in two different stints: from 2009 to 2012 and from 2015 to 2028.
With him calling the plays, La Roja has won its four Eurobasket gold medals (and a bronze), one of its two World Cups, in 2019, and two of its four Olympic medals: the silver in London 2012 and the bronze in Rio de Janeiro 2016.
"Those achievements cannot be repeated," Scariolo pointed out, before expressing his deep concern over what he pereceives as a problem in Spanish basketball.
"It is the most difficult moment since I entered this house in 2009," emphasized the Brescia-born tactician, who noticed an increasing decline in the presence and prominence of the Spanish player on his teams.
"I have a wish: to be able to reverse the Spanish player's loss of prominence. It's dramatic. There are only 3-4 players in the ACB top 50 in points, rating... Before, there were four times more. These are the lowest figures of all European leagues. I hope it changes in the future," Scariolo commented.
“There is a lot of room to return the flow, but an effort is needed on all sides: the players deserve their space, but they have to earn it, it is part of their job. I know there is good will on all sides," he declared.
Basketball has changed a lot. Before, the NBA was the only destination for players outside of Europe. But now, other countries have entered the picture: China, Japan, the G-League (Development League) and the NCAA. American universities, thanks to contracts for NIL rights, are causing a constant drain. Ismaila Diagne, Egor Demin from Real Madrid and Kasparas Jakucionis from FC Barcelona have been the latest young players caught by higher education on the other side of the Atlantic.
"It's a moment of emergency, of aggression from the NCAA and it deserves a different response,' Scariolo thinks.
"It is everyone's business to protect the clubs that invest in these players. Not only in Spain, but throughout the world. The moment is tough. You can't stop the kids, but you can present them with incentives so that they can continue their training here."
Support BasketNews so we could make even better content.
