‘Clubs have a responsibility to focus on youth’ | Relief

The national basketball crisis is a fact. So much so that even a few days ago the Spanish coach Sergio Scariolo himself launched an SOS on this matter, warning about the small number of young people in the teams. And the equation is simple: without youth, youth will give way to continued training in the main teams… there is no future. And today the ACB, not to mention the teams playing in European competitions, is becoming increasingly difficult in terms of providing opportunities for young people. AND Marc Gasol also reflected on this during his time as President of Basket de Girona.assured that everything Clubs should give more opportunities to young people and thus prevent many of them from trying their luck on the other side of the pond.

The information Scariolo provided was devastating: “We are experiencing our most difficult moment since 2009. This is an emergency. I would like to reverse the trend of the importance of the Spanish player, which has reached alarming figures. Of the top 50 players in terms of minutes and rating in the ACB, only three or four are Spaniards. In 2009, when I arrived, it was three to four times more. “These are the lowest figures of any European league,” he said.

And that’s what Many times they point to the NCAA and its professionalization. Look at what players make when they move up to the collegiate league, whose salaries are at least double what they could earn at an ACB club. Not to mention the minutes they can spend on the other side of the pond, not to mention the fact that it opens doors to the NBA, against lack of participation that usually occurs in Spain. But it is the latter that is the key, and here the clubs must take their share of the blame, as Marc Gasol himself admitted.

The current president of Basque Girona needs to complete two exercises.: On the one hand, one side from the players themselves to really evaluate what it means to leave or stay, and the other from the clubs who are trying to truly build the future of a national or youth player.

“I think the player has to be conscious and responsible in deciding what is best for him. Honestly, looking in the mirror, “It’s not always easy, and at a certain age it’s a little more difficult because you’re immature and you don’t have all the answers, but you have to be aware of what you need, and that, as we’ve said, is a game,” Gasol admitted of the part that matches his own players.

At the same time, he emphasized the role that clubs must take on in this: “Also This is part of the clubs we are now responsible for, to rely on youth. and that they push and give them those moments so desired and so necessary for their evolution,” he said. Let’s add: “Then I think that Here we need a dialogue between everyone to provide players with opportunities and the necessary platform to develop. and they don’t have to go somewhere because of the siren song, which is also okay because college life is very attractive and the NBA is very strong.”

The President of the Association of Professional Basketball Players already spoke about this several months ago: Alfonso Reyes, who assured that “the goal should be for the 28% of Spanish players currently in the ACB to grow and balance.”. Let it be a more rational percentage so that we have more players who can get into the national team and play for our clubs.” get more minutes and relevance so you can continue to grow and learn.