By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Pau Gasol commented on American-born guard Lorenzo Brown potentially becoming Spain’s naturalized player for the 2022 EuroBasket, saying that it’s an addition that can be of much help for the squad.
“I’ve heard about it,” Gasol, an icon for Spanish sports, mentioned during an event where he was presented as Iberia’s cultural change advisor. “Also something about Serge [Ibaka]. If they use Lorenzo or whoever as a naturalized player, it will be to help and that’s the job of the coaches and the Federation. Then you analyze if it has worked well or not. With important absences at the point guard, it seems that reinforcement is needed at that position, let’s say.”
Brown was one of the elite guards in the 2021-22 EuroLeague before his Unics Kazan was expelled from the competition in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He averaged 13.8 points, 6.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in the competition.
If he joins Spain for the EuroBasket he will make his debut with a national team and it will happen with Gasol’s blessing.
“I haven’t followed Lorenzo Brown much, but he will be a good player,” Gasol added. “The team’s job will be to introduce him to the team dynamics and the identity. Make him feel like one of the others. That we need to have important cohesion in order to be more competitive and be able to beat teams that have more individual quality.”