Scariolo goes with Mirotic, keeps fingers crossed on Marc Gasol
MADRID (EuroBasket 2015) - Spain coach Sergio Scariolo is planning to take Nikola Mirotic to this summer's EuroBasket instead of Serge Ibaka and he also hopes to have Marc Gasol in the line-up when the tournament tips off on 5 September.
Both Mirotic and Gasol were on the 17-man preliminary list presented to the media on Tuesday in Madrid.
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Mirotic, coming off a fantastic rookie season in the NBA with Chicago, is to take the lone naturalized spot on the roster instead of Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka.
Memphis Grizzlies star Gasol, who became a free agent on Wednesday, is expected to sign a new contract in the coming days or weeks and stands a good chance of being at the tournament which runs until 20 September.
Injuries have ruled out veteran guards Juan Carlos Navarro, Jose Calderon and Ricky Rubio, but Scariolo has both Sergio Rodriguez and Sergio Llull in the squad, along with hopefuls Pau Ribas, Quino Colom and Guillem Vives.
Llull enhanced his reputation as a big-time player with some huge performances in the Spanish playoffs, including one in which he beat Valencia in Game 3 of their semi-final showdown with a late three-ball in overtime.
Other key men from Spain's successful recent past are Pau Gasol, Rudy Fernandez and Liga Endesa Regular Season MVP Felipe Reyes.
So why Mirotic and not Ibaka, who featured in the sides that played at EuroBasket 2011, the London Olympics and last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup?
"It is not a question of one being better than the other, everybody knows Niko and Serge have different skill sets and attributes as players," Spain's coach said.
"Niko deserves to have his chance on the senior team after defending this jersey at youth level.
"Serge has already had this experience with great success and this is an opportunity to also show to Niko how it feels to be alongside this group of players and be a part of this team.
"We did not call up Ibaka to training camp because we had to make a decision respectful to both players, who deserve to know what they will do with their summer."
As for Marc Gasol, Scariolo says everyone needs to be patient.
"There is no doubt about what Marc wants and his commitment to the national team," he said.
"But there are professional circumstances at play and he needs to know his situation, which of course will become clearer from tomorrow (Wednesday) onwards."
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Navarro's absence is not something Scariolo anticipated or wanted.
The 35-year-old Spanish basketball icon went down with plantar fasciitis in Game 1 of the Liga Endesa Finals between Real Madrid and his FC Barcelona.
Initially, he was expected to miss five weeks but now the EuroBasket 2011 MVP will be out even longer.
"It came as a very unpleasant last-minute surprise," Scariolo said.
We would love to have our captain with us, because he is not only a linchpin of our team on the court but also plays a fundamental role off the court. - Scariolo
The Italian coach all but confirmed that in Spain's new-look backcourt, Liga Endesa Finals MVP Llull will assume the role he's had at Real Madrid during Pablo Laso's tenure.
"It's true that [Llull] has never played at the point guard position on the national team, but at Real Madrid he has demonstrated that he has grown into this role," Scariolo said.
"Of course the absence of Juan Carlos means that we will also need to exploit Sergio's scoring prowess at the shooting guard spot."
Llull will share the point guard position with Rodriguez, just like he's done at the Euroleague and Spanish champions.
Scariolo will also include a third playmaker on his final 12-man squad with Colom or Vives likely to get the nod.
Both were impressive this season, with Andorra-born Colom shining at Dominion Bilbao and 22-year-old Vives thriving at Valencia Basket.
"I know that Real Madrid played out the entire season, very successfully, with what was in essence a two-playmaker rotation," Scariolo asserted.
"But the national team and an international tournament is a different proposition.
"If something bad occurs during the EuroBasket and we lose a point guard, we cannot go to the market and sign a new player."
By putting together a 17-strong preliminary roster, Spain depart this summer from their usual practice ahead of previous major tournaments.
The two-time EuroBasket champions usually announced in late June or early July their 12-man final roster and an additional list of three to four 'invited' players who helped out and provided cover in the event of injuries during training camp.
"The circumstances this year are different as we have several players with relatively little international experience, so we have to compile more data during our preparations," Scariolo explained.
"It is not the same to have shown that you compete well at your club and compete at the same level on the national team.
"At a EuroBasket, every opponent is a great team with great players and there is no margin for error in such a short tournament.
"I had many cases during my first four years at the helm of this team where on the court we saw something different from a player to what the club season had suggested.
"The players who will compliment the group will need to be able to fill that role very well.
"It is not a question of skill or technical aptitude or quality, which all these players have anyway, it is a question of how can somebody fit in the specific role that is needed on the national team."
There are also places for Fernando San Emeterio and Victor Claver.
The former returned to good form at Laboral Kutxa, while the latter came back to Europe to play for BC Khimki after being released by Denver following his trade from Portland.
Spain will play their first warm-up game on home soil against Belgium on 11 August.
The Spaniards are in Group B of the EuroBasket and will go up against Iceland, Turkey, Italy, Germany and Serbia.
Spain preliminary squad for EuroBasket 2015: Alex Abrines, Pablo Aguilar, Víctor Claver, Quino Colom, Dani Diez, Rudy Fernandez, Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol, Willy Hernangomez, Sergio Llull, Nikola Mirotic, Xavi Rabaseda, Felipe Reyes, Pau Ribas, Sergio Rodríguez, Fernando San Emeterio and Guillem Vives.
Go to eurobasket2015.org for complete coverage of EuroBasket 2015.
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