Ribera del Duero is a land of castles and good wine. Therefore, it was surprising to see a basketball legend like Sergio ‘El Chacho’ Rodríguez (La Laguna, Tenerife, 38 years old) in those parts this week. The Canarian, who ended a successful 20-season career in the elite last summer, went to the Protos warehouses to collect a decoration for his values on the court and for the many trophies won during his professional stage. He was always one of the favorites of the press, not only for his baskets and assists, but for his impeccable behavior and education. A personality that has become even sweeter after retirement, at which time the point guard exchanged the frenetic sports calendar for an intimate and family life. Reflect on all this and much more with ABC. -The first question is obligatory: Do you still think a lot about basketball? -Very much. It has always been my ‘hobby’, my passion. Now I see it from a different perspective, but I still consume a lot of basketball, especially Real Madrid games. I also see those of the Spanish team, those of the Euroleague, those of the different teams I have been on and also many of the NBA. – Was it difficult to execute the withdrawal? It seemed like, at least, he had the ropes for a couple more seasons. He was very clear about it. Furthermore, I was presented with the opportunity to end up winning, which was a small obsession that had haunted me in recent years. I had in mind to end up lifting a title, celebrating something. Therefore, these last two campaigns with Real Madrid have been fantastic, since we won the Euroleague, the League and two Super Cups. -In the Final Four in Kaunas in 2023, in addition to lifting the European Cup, he was one of the best players at 36 years old. Is it the highlight of your career? – Possibly, but I don’t just choose the final against Olympiacos or the semifinals against Barça. I think that one of the best performances of my life was in the fifth game against Partizan, in the quarterfinals (the whites overcame an 18-point deficit and the Canaries were the author of 13 in the last period). Overall, I’ve been very lucky. I have been able to be in difficult contexts, in the fight for titles in very special places. But yes, I have the two duels in Belgrade, the rematch at WiZink and the final in Kaunas in my mind as precious memories. -In that maelstrom of comebacks, many of his teammates assured that they saw the most senior Sergio, one who did not hesitate to give a good reprimand if necessary. -It is important, when you have so many years of career behind you, to know how to interpret the moments, what the team needs in certain situations. I helped where I could, sometimes playing and other times in the locker room, speaking or motivating. These last two years in Madrid have been very beautiful, very different from everything I had experienced before. It was very special to return to the club after so many years abroad. I feel very lucky to have closed my career at Madrid. -Do you have many memories at home of all your experiences? -Yes, I have many. At first, when you are young, you do it compulsively, you want to have a memory of every game. But now I only have the most important ones in view and in a very specific place in my house, such as t-shirts, awards, trophies… It is very pleasant to get up every day and walk past them. You get flashes of how bad things went and how well things ended. -So, what does Chacho spend his time doing now? -I’m in a period of adaptation, in a very familiar routine. During the last few seasons I have had a very complicated day-to-day life, with many trips, many absences from home. Now I just want to be with my children and my wife, take them to school, be able to spend weekends together. I have to assimilate it and, furthermore, combine it with following the competitions, apart from continuing to do sports. Related News Increasingly distanced from the partner opinion Yes 125th anniversary of Barça, between lies from Laporta: neither Messi nor Camp Nou Salvador Sostres «In addition of failing to fulfill what was promised, the club has taken advantage of the banishment to Montjuic to distance itself from the member» -Do you see yourself in a suit on a bench or in someone’s office? team? -I don’t know, but I know that what I do will be related to basketball. With all my experience, I think I can contribute a lot with my point of view. But, as I say, now is a family moment. -He went to the NBA very young, directly from Estudiantes. Was it as hard a stage as it seemed on television? – More than hard, it was something new. I was playing against my idols. In the moment, you always want more and when you are young you want everything very quickly. But, if I put it in perspective, they were very good periods. I was a 20-year-old foreign kid and I ended up playing a lot of games. After Portland, I was with the Sacramento Kings and the New York Knicks. I am proud to have lived through those times and to have emerged stronger from those experiences, which were not easy. -Playing at home in ‘La Mecca’, at Madison Square Garden, is it as spectacular as it seems? -One of the most special moments of my career, without a doubt. Starting with the Knicks, with my family and friends in the stands… They were incredible months in New York. -Currently, the great players in the NBA are European, like Jokic, Antetokounmpo or Doncic. Did they look at you in a strange way for being from the other side of the pond? -In my time there were already Europeans who had marked an era, like Pau or Tony Parker. But yes, it is true that in recent years there has been much more openness, it is increasingly natural for this leap to occur. The key is that many Europeans already develop from a very young age in American basketball. -When you returned to Europe in 2010, did you feel the need to show that you were a star? -Yes, you had the need to compete, to fight for titles, because in the NBA I only played in the playoffs one year. And of course, Madrid gave me the opportunity to try to win everything. -Even though you are from the Estudiantes quarry, can you say that Madrid is the team of your life? -Yes, totally. It is where I have stayed the longest, I have been a fan since I was very little, and it is the place where I have enjoyed the most and where I have been most comfortable. My first stage was great and the last one has been a culmination. -His career with the Spanish team also has some merit…-My time with the national team is divided into two stages. The first three years, when I debuted in the 2005 European Championship and when we won the World Cup the following year, and then, after not being called up, the return in 2012. Everything we achieved has been impressive. I think it is very difficult to match, now we are in a different period, but there is a lot of talent and we have to give facilities to young people so that they can develop and have their moment to show what stuff they are made of. -With Spain, in the 2012 Olympic final, he was very close to defeating the United States. Serbia, last summer, more of the same. Will the day come when the best take the knee? -It is complicated, I think so, there will be times when certain circumstances arise that allow it. They are number one in everything, but Serbia was very close (laughs). -El Chacho, Spanoulis, Teodosic… Do you think that his profile, that player of pure magic, is on the verge of extinction? -I believe that the level in Europe is very high, the Euroleague format is very broad and there will always be players who put on a show. Now the fashion profile is different, more marked by physical conditions, but not only in the bases. Before, centers were more mobile, but Tavares arrived, he changed everything, and now teams want to have a giant for the five position.
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