Seated in the presidency of the FEB, Elisa Aguilar accumulates institutional success, the granting of the Eurobasket 2029an unexpected one (the silver of the 3×3 in Paris), and another exciting one, the women’s European silver. Everything, watered down with successes from the lower ranks. The boys need to recover their tone.
What importance do you attach to qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar in sporting and economic terms after the crash in Cyprus?
High at all levels. If the Spanish men’s national team does well, Spanish basketball and the FEB do well. But history alone is not going to put us in the World Cup. You have to work and with Windows, it is not easy. To give support to the work that is being done in this generational change, being at the big events is essential. And, logically, on an economic level, it is important for our sponsors and partners who have been with us on this journey for so many years.
Soon, the girls will also play in Puerto Rico to be in the 2026 World Cup in Berlin.
Our obligation is to be in the big tournaments for history and quality. I’m going to be with them from the first moment. It is not going to be an easy tournament because it is far away, Puerto Rico, they come from a demanding schedule and there will be little time to adapt. But the team is guaranteed.
Is Awa Fam a big deal? Aim for draft number.
When the river sounds…, it usually carries water. He has the conditions, he has been demonstrating it in all training categories. Now it’s his turn to dominate each game. All eyes are on her, she points out that she will be high in the draft. She is generous, involved, educated…
He comes from a long trip through the United States with Chus Mateo. What have you seen there?
From the first stop we had, in New York, which was more institutional, I have tested the deep knowledge of Spanish basketball, the esteem they have for us. And now, more related to the NCAA, they highly value the Spanish player for his knowledge of the game, his work ethic; and they also speak highly of them on a personal level. And if I go there as president, you leave with enormous national pride.
Is it reassuring to see whose hands they are in? There is always the cliché that they will be lost if they leave so young…
I, who know him, say that it is true that they leave for an economic opportunity that is the best at that moment. But also because they also have top facilities and training conditions. Also at an academic level. The technical staff is there for them. They are in as good condition as if they were on a Euroleague or ACB team.
Will we see them in the Windows this summer?
They have all told me that they want to be in the National Team. They were grateful for the visit, that we explained the project to them, that Chus came to see them and convey the excitement to them. Each one has their circumstances. We don’t know if some will be first round in the draft, if they will have to play Summer Leagueif they should do workout before the draft. But we hope to see you.
“The idea is that there will be a Spain-USA here in 2027”
Elisa Aguilar
And parallel to this diaspora, the U League was born. Do you think it did it on time or is it too late?
It was born when the circumstances were right. What could have been done 15 years ago? Well I don’t know. She was not president. But we can’t always be complaining. The circumstances arose because this is a state project. When I went with Antonio Martín to visit the Secretary of State; and we talked to him about the project, its sports and academic part, the president wanted to subsidize it. We explained to him that at least six Spaniards would play and, in the third year, seven. And the Spanish player is standing out because we are monitoring him. Academically we are also working and there has been a media impact, engagement with young people. What you have to leave is time. I understand that there are opinions. But if there are, it’s because you do things.
What has Chus Mateo given to the National Team after so many years with Sergio Scariolo at the helm?
A tremendous plus of excitement, which is what I noticed since I called him for the first time. He has world-class knowledge of basketball; and he is the one who proposed creating the work network in the United States, where he incorporated Dani Gómez. Furthermore, both he and Paco Redondo are also contributing to the new training structure. We will have coaches from ACB, FEB leagues and the U League. There will be difficult moments, but so far everything has started well and, in this time of change, it has contributed a lot to us.
Chus has the idea of not nationalizing if the American player does not have certain roots. Do you agree?
I’ve talked a lot with Chus about that; And yes, having roots with us would favor a nationalization process if it were to arrive. But I don’t have that on the table now, it’s not on the roadmap.
Did you end up disappointed with Lorenzo Brown?
I have to respect the players’ decision. Their careers are short, they have to choose what they think is best and, for personal and professional reasons, they did not make us available.
What they do work on is the nationalization of boys who already have roots here: recently, Rhys Selby Robinson. And now, Dabone.
Robinson is in Madrid and is already having an experience with our culture and our country. If they play as nationalized one day, they are different cases because they already have ties with Spain. That’s what we are doing. And if the option to nationalize Dabone is given, it will be studied and analyzed.
What is your opinion about the NBA landing in Europe? They just been there with them, some input it will have reached them.
I also have the feedback from Andreas Zagklis, the general secretary of FIBA. They hope the project will launch in 2027. Things still have to happen. As president of the FEB, what I would like is for the calendar to be harmonized. Today, Euroleague and Ventanas do not overlap but it is as if they did because a player has to take a plane, get a beating on the trip and, without training, play 24 hours after doing so with his club. For the athlete’s health, these are not the best conditions and it cannot be the athlete’s responsibility. The arrival of the NBA, at the level of calendar harmonization, is better for us. If we add to that that there will be better exploitation at a commercial level, then it is good news. We must take care of the player and the fan, who cannot understand how Madrid-Partizan and Spain-Ukraine could be played on the same day.
“The arrival of the NBA in Europe is good for us; a harmonized calendar is of interest”
Elisa Aguilar
Should Windows be given a twist?
It makes no sense that we have been in conflict for 15 years and are castled. The fan must be given a quality product.
Maybe now with Chus Bueno as head of the Euroleague…
I hope an agreement is reached, it would be the best news for basketball. And if you want to reach an agreement, everyone has to give something. We need the product to be better.
In 2019, 2021 and 2023, friendlies were played against the United States. Have you talked to USA Basketball about having it also in 2027, before the World Cup in Qatar?
We have a project with them and we want to continue exploring avenues. And one of them is to be able to compete and have friendlies, male and female. The idea is that next year a friendly will be played in Spain. And we could also play before the Los Angeles Games…
It’s far away, but are you already working on Eurobasket things?
This is a year to launch a team that will be dedicated exclusively to the event. And a work calendar. We are talking to the Movistar Arena to put something in place that will serve to warm up the engines. Starting in 2027, we will activate more things.
Did they spy on the NFL to see how they do things ahead of the expected opening game of the 2029 Eurobasket at the Bernabéu?
We set our eyes on that game because when a giant like the NFL works on these things, you always have references in terms of activations, staging… We want that game to represent a before and after because there has not been an event like that under the FIBA umbrella. It is exciting because, with all the reforms that have been made, the Bernabéu will allow that match to be unforgettable. It’s a challenge.
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