Next Saturday, 27th, at 11.00, the Spanish basketball team has its first test of fire: it faces the Australian team, which, despite being ‘all-powerful’, is the most accessible of a group in which it will also have to deal with Greece and Canada. For such a challenge, in the low post, Spain will count on the grit and determination of the young power forward from Zaragoza, Jaime Pradilla, who brings back the presence of Aragonese basketball in the Olympic Games 24 years later.
What is your first Olympic memory? Being born in 2001, I understand that neither Curro nor Barcelona, nor the original ‘dream team’…
I’ve heard a lot about Barcelona 92, but I don’t remember anything. I’d say my first memory is of Rudy doing a brutal dunk against the United States, half on his back. I believe it was against Dwight Howard in Beijing’s Olympic final.
These are your first Olympic Games, but Rudy Fernández is already at his sixth… How do you approach them from such different perspectives?
We talk over dinner and lunch; we have a lot of time, and we discuss each other’s different points of view. The veterans explain that playing in a European or World Cup is something very nice, but competing in the Olympic Games is a unique experience that is not within the reach of many. They advise us to enjoy ourselves, that there is a lot of life in an Olympic Village, that you can meet athletes you admire, and that few people have the opportunity and the luck to be able to be at the Games.
You are bringing back the Aragonese presence in Olympic basketball 24 years later, after Alberto Angulo participated in Sydney 2000.
It is a source of pride to be able to represent my land and my people. I have read about legends such as Alberto Angulo or Fernando Arcega’s silver in Los Angeles, so it is very special to be here representing Zaragoza and Aragon; it is something unique.
“My mother always gives me a ribbon the size of the Virgin of Pilar, and I take it in my suitcase to Lille and Paris with great affection.”
The merit is to have arrived; the objective is to enjoy it, but… is there a chance of a medal? You have been placed in the worst possible group.
We will face Australia, Canada, and Greece in what they have called the ‘group of death’. We know that it will not be easy and that qualifying is very difficult, but we have always shown that we grow in the face of adversity and that we do not back down from anything. Our mentality is to go out and fight, to fight against everyone, and to go out and enjoy basketball.
When expectations are high, sometimes the setbacks are terrible. Look at Aday and Langarita with the U-20s…
Yes. Well, it’s just a sport. We were finishing eating and watching the game when France scored a three-pointer at the buzzer. It’s a frustrating sport, but there’s little you can do about it.
Perhaps it is beneficial for the team to be ‘under the radar’.
The label that others place on you is not something that you control. In the end, what you have to do is go, compete, and enjoy. The competition will put things in your path, and you will see. Basketball—as we have seen it—is a matter of seconds. Sometimes you have bad luck, and the only thing you can do against that is keep working.
The United States is the clear favorite, and Canada, France, Serbia, and Germany are also in the mix. What are Jaime Pradilla’s bets?
I would say that our group is the most difficult, but the others are also extremely difficult. In this type of tournament, anything can happen. There are great teams, there is an incredible level this year, and there will surely be surprises. For better or worse, it is what the competition dictates. Hopefully, we can be on the podium, but it will be very difficult.
For the moment, between the pre-Olympics and Paris, you have no vacations left…
Well, I think it’s already a habit; it’s just another summer. It’s also true that here, with the national team, the atmosphere is great, and we have a great time. In the end, it’s like a family. You don’t come on holiday; obviously, you come to work, but you feel at home, and time goes by very quickly. After the games and before the preseason, I hope to spend a few quiet days in Valencia with my people.
Are you planning to pass through Zaragoza?
I hope I can find some time, but I was with my family and friends the week after the pre-Olympic tournament. I love going back to my parents’ house and being with my brothers; it’s where I rest the most.
She must have stocked up on the Virgen del Pilar’s ribbons to bring her luck to Paris.
Yes, I always carry one in my suitcase. My mother gives them to me, and whenever I go home or she comes to visit, she brings me one, and the truth is that I carry it with great affection. First, we are going to Lille, and then I hope she will accompany me to Paris.
“Bojan Dublejvic is a fantastic guy, an animal, a crack… I think he represents 100% of what Zaragoza is looking for, with that grit and that lion.”
When you’re with the national team, do you stay away from rumors and the transfer market, or do you follow them closely?
Well, there’s a bit of everything. It’s inevitable that we’ll talk about the ‘gossip’ among colleagues. It’s true that there are people who prefer to follow it more, but that’s normal because, in the end, it’s something that concerns us and is part of our daily lives. We try not to think about it too much, but I’d be lying if I said that we’re not aware of who comes and goes. It’s also a way to pass the time and have a few laughs.
I’m telling you this because the Casademont squad is generating a lot of excitement in Zaragoza. What can you tell me about Bojan Dubljevic?
He’s a fantastic guy, an animal, a star, etc. I think he represents 100% of what Zaragoza is looking for with that grit and that lion. I have no doubt that he has that spirit inside, and he’s going to give everything for the club. You’re going to enjoy him a lot; he’s a great player.
Back at the Games, were you afraid of falling off Scariolo’s list as the number of players was reduced?
Well, I felt strong, but I don’t think that any of us are always 100% sure. In the end, you come here to train, to try to help the team, and, well, to give what Sergio asks of you: in my case, energy, attitude, determination…
Lorenzo Brown, Santi Aldama, Sergio Llull… Which of your teammates do you think is in the best shape to create a surprise in the coming weeks?
More than a specific star, I would highlight the team as a whole: what we are, what we are. I think that, compared to other national teams, the most important thing about Spain is that it works as a team. It is no longer surprising to anyone that we are a family and, at the end of the day, the championship is won by the teams, not by one player on his own. We must continue this same line of work as we saw in the pre-Olympic game in Valencia against the Bahamas.
You may also like:
