Xabi López-Arostegui: “We may be facing the darkest moment of the national team in recent years”

“How are the spirits after the defeat against Latvia?”

—We face it as it touches, as part of a growth process. We know that we have to improve and apply a lot of self -criticism. After losing against Latvia, a lot of video session has touched us to see all the mistakes we made. Assumed this, it’s time to continue building.

“Have you marked this window with victory?”

“I would love.” We play all the games to compete and win and it would be positive to finish this window and this classification phase with good news. But above all we are focused on improving, that young people assimilate the concepts and identity of this selection, which take experience, minute for the future.

“Is it more difficult to compete knowing that the Eurobasket ticket is certified?”

—Of course it is different, but once the games begin, you do not think what to do or avoid the contacts just because the result does not matter in the classification. The commitment of this selection is always maximum.

—We have spent several years of the generational change of the selection. Are we at the darkest or difficult point of that process?

“It can be, time will say it.” The Federation has made a clear commitment to this call to bring to the maximum possible young players, those who may have more relevance in the future, and you have to be patient and look to the future.

—How said the other day, the clubs are not making it very easy either by having few Spanish players in their ranks, does the ACB no longer trust the national product?

“Well, I already gave my opinion and I don’t want to enter controversies or debates (on the other side of the phone you hear how Barca Joel Parra, laughing, encourages López-Arostegui to respond to the cry of” Cagón! “) . But as most team players think, and my friend Joel thinks, it would be positive for the league and the product that would bet more on the Spanish player.

—Zeljko Obradovic said in his day that the success of our selection was due to the fact that all Spaniards were crazy about representing their country, regardless of their physical or mood. But in this window, up to 13 companions have decided not to go. Can that degree of unconditional commitment be losing?

—I think that each player has a particular situation, he knows better than anyone at what time he is physically or head, or even what his club thinks about whether he should go to the national team or not. I would like to trust that this spirit is not going to be lost and that everyone will respond to Scariolo’s call because it is part of our identity, as you have said. Come here does not have to depend on whether we win or lose. It is something important about what we must reflect on the costumes. If we are united, we can always compete. But I do not doubt the commitment of my colleagues and I know that everyone will be in the Eurobasket.

He started only going to windows and has ended up being champion of Europe and Captain. Do you try to preach with the example?

“Always my name has appeared in a call I have taken it with the maximum illusion.” At first I didn’t even play the windows, but now I appreciate it because all those moments served me to grow a lot as a player. I worked a lot and in the end I have been lucky enough to participate in great competitions and fight side by side with the great referents of our basketball. Now it’s my turn to tell the young people that whenever they can, you have to be.

– How are children like Izan Almansa or Hugo González explain what ‘the family’ is?

—We try to continue with the routines, maniah or traditions that have been in this costume for years and that we have suckled since we arrived. For example, Joel and I were showing Hugo the other day how Pocha was played. I do it very excitedly and they, little by little, are seeing things that attract them, such as dinners, letters, laughs … we try to continue with the legacy beyond sports, that the essence is not lost.

“Does that responsibility like or is it difficult to be a sergeant?”

“I don’t have that personality, I’m nothing Cascarrabias.” I simply give myself advice on the game and about the attitude outside the track. Preaching with the example, although it is true that these kids are already very formed, they are very professional even if they are only 19 years old.

—It does a world, but the next time they dress with the colors of Spain they will be in a Eurobasket. What sensations transmits the tournament?

“To be very clear about the format, know the group or know where the crosses are going.” But, although months are missing, they are like years, the teams will change a lot from here to August. It is true that we will surely have to hit our style of play but maintaining the essence, which is to grab the game what happens.