DENVER (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Juancho Hernangomez has yet to play for Spain's senior team but it's going to happen soon. 

The younger brother of New York Knicks rookie and Spain international Willy Hernangomez, Juancho is also cutting his teeth in the world's toughest league with the Denver Nuggets and confirming his status as one of Europe's finest young talents. 

Sixteen months younger than Willy, Juancho has played an average of almost 12 minutes per game this season for the Nuggets. The former Estudiantes star has spoken to FIBA.com. 

How are things going for you in the NBA?
I think it is going pretty well, I feel good. I knew it would be complicated to make the transition from Europe and play here but I feel very well. I am playing well and I am spending minutes on the court as I am getting into the rotation. I feel that my coaches believe in me and I work hard to be better every single day. I am super happy with my current situation and I am for now achieving my goal to have a good transition and get used to the NBA's way of playing.

You saw your brother on your team's recent trip to New York to face Brooklyn. How helpful is it that you and he are in similar situations?
It's great and very constructive for the both of us. We are going through the same experience as rookies. We talk every day, we help each other and we support each other no matter what's going on. I am so happy for him as he has been playing very well so far. We have both been improving a lot and our goal is to be the best players we can become. We are doing it step by step and trying to make it in the best league of the world.

What has gotten you to the NBA? 
Since my youngest age, I have always been the same, having the same ambition by being the first guy that goes to practice and by working hard every day in order to reach my dream to be in the NBA. I've done that, but it's just the first step. Now, I want to keep the same work ethic to achieve more great things and have a great career here. Basketball is my life, I can't live without it. I have always been a patient guy. I have always known that to achieve my goals, I would have to work hard and go step by step also by learning from the veteran players. This is very important to build your self confidence and that makes you stronger to reach bigger goals in your career.

You had a big impact on Spain's youth national teams. Is your aim to play for the senior side?
Absolutely. Every Spanish player's goal is to play for the national team. That would make me so proud to be called to play with the senior national team but I know it is hard to get there as there are a lot of very good Spanish players. It's a great thing about Spanish basketball, we have so many talents. The head coach's (Sergio Scariolo) job is very hard as there are so many good players. I would love to be called to play for the senior national team and I just have to keep working hard. The season is going to be very long and hard, and part of the summer is usually made to rest, but I dream about playing for the national team.

Juancho made the All-Star Five at the 2015 U20 European Championship 

Spain have been drawn in Cluj-Napoca's Group C at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 with Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Montenegro. Any thoughts?
At first, it looks like a pretty easy group but at EuroBasket, every team plays hard. If the national team players start the tournament tired or not in their best shape, anything can happen. In basketball, everything can happen. In a competition like this, we will need to be ready, have a good preparation and step up our game as the tournament goes on in order to have a great campaign.

Your brother won FIBA EuroBasket in 2015 and a bronze medal in Rio. How do you evaluate his success with the national team?
He is the pride of the family; he deserves it more than anyone. He had a tough year last season (with Real Madrid) but he was able to make it to the national team. He played in very important moments of the games that Spain had in Rio and he always gives his best and plays hard when he is on the court. I am so proud of what he has been doing so far with the national team.

What is the biggest lesson that you and other young players take from Spain's golden generation?
We have to make the cut to the national team and get into the great group dynamic they have been creating. It's going to be very hard to do as well as they did because we most likely won't ever have a golden generation like this one again, at least any time soon. That's a bit of pressure for the young generation of players but we need to try to work hard and dream about having the same success they had in EuroBasket, the World Cup and the Olympics.

FIBA