To the beat of the indie group Miss Caffeina, the curtain was raised on the summer of the Spanish national team's defence of the world title. The team was presented this Thursday at an event held at the headquarters of Endesa which marked the first step of a tour that starts in Madrid and continues in the cities of Malaga and Granada.
The indie group Miss Caffeina served as the warm-up at the official presentation of the Spanish basketball team, which was hosted by Marta Fernández and the comedian Federico de Juan. The event was attended by the 16 members of The Family, sporting the new Centenary kit, and the coach Sergio Scariolo, accompanied by his entire staff.
The team also conversed on stage with the President of the Spanish Basketball Federation, Jorge Garbajosa and Endesa's Director of Communication, Ignacio Jiménez Soler, taking the opportunity to praise Endesa's steadfast support for Spanish basketball.
Jorge Garbajosa, President of the SBF: "Coming to Endesa is coming home"
"Coming here is akin to coming home. I don't know how many years we have been coming to present the national teams, the LF Endesa, the Basket Girlz project... in short, the abundance of things that we do together. It would not have been possible to celebrate our 100-year anniversary without the efforts of so many people, but I am sure that in addition to the work of the players, it would have been impossible to reach this milestone without a company like yours," said the President.
Ignacio Jiménez, Director of Communication at Endesa: "It is always a great honour to welcome you here"
"We have been working together for almost 12 years and it is always an honour to welcome you here. Our relationship has become routine and is something that gives us a great deal of joy. We really like to work with you because of the passion that you exude for the game, for basketball and its values. This is why we are committed to a sponsorship that we always want to mean more than the result. Here, on this stage, there is a clear sign and it is the prestige of all the brands that support the Federation. It is unusual to see so many trusted brands at a sporting event and that's because, win or lose, both the team and the management are always reliable."
Sergio Scariolo: "This team has shown that it is special over a long period of time"
"The results have been incredible in recent years and have far surpassed expectations. This team has demonstrated that it is special over a long period of time. Sometimes teams that have more than the sum of the talent of individual capabilities are able to achieve things that surpass expectations," said the national team coach.
"In my opinion no other team has sustained its excellence over such a long period of time and been able to multiply individual talent to deliver a consistently supreme collective performance. This goes beyond values like skill, it's in the heart and in the brain", he added.
Rudy Fernández: "We try to communicate the camaraderie that we have"
The captain of The Family pointed out that his role and that of other veterans such as Ricky Rubio, Víctor Claver and Sergio Llull is to "communicate to new players the camaraderie and values that we have had in recent years".
The small forward, who is set to replace Juan Carlos Navarro this summer as the player with the most international caps in the team's history, said he is "extremely grateful for everything I have experienced over the years, to have been relied on to help the team every summer and be able to continue as if it were the first time."
Ricky Rubio: "I really missed them last year"
One of the big absences last summer, Ricky Rubio, spoke about his return to The Family: "I really cannot wait; I missed them a lot last year but it was a very healthy envy." He added "it is difficult to find the words to express what it means to be part of the national team, it is a feeling that takes root from childhood. We have all played in formation here, it is a DNA that is hard to find in any club in the world".
Willy Hernangómez: "Meeting up with the national team is a breath of fresh air, it is motivating and fills you with enthusiasm"
"It has been a difficult year, but meeting up with the national team is a breath of fresh air, it is motivating and fills you with enthusiasm, just like the first time. I really cannot wait and I'm ready to be the Willy who gives everything for the team, who does exactly what Sergio Scariolo asks of him. I am really looking forward to training and the games."
Preparation tour calendar
Friday, 4 August: Spain vs. Venezuela (WiZink Center, 21:30)
Friday, 11 August: Spain vs. Slovenia (Martín Carpena, 21:30)
Sunday, 13 August: Spain vs. United States Martín Carpena, 21:30)
Thursday, 17 August: Spain vs. Canada (Palacio Municipal de los Deportes, Granada, 21:30)
Saturday, 19 August: Spain vs. Dominican Republic (Palacio Municipal de los Deportes, Granada, 21:30)
All of these matches will be broadcast live on La 1.
About Endesa
Endesa is a leading electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an end-to-end electricity generation, distribution and marketing business. Through Endesa X it also offers value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy usage in homes, companies, industries and Public Administrations. It is also the leading operator of charging stations in Spain through Endesa X Way, a business line dedicated entirely to electric mobility. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribution, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,260 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, the largest electricity group in Europe.