Juancho Hernangómez, a player for Panathinaikos and the Spanish national team, believes that living with enthusiasm is key to success in the upcoming Pre-Olympic tournament in Valencia.
He acknowledged that there is pressure in every championship and match with Spain, but emphasized the importance of embracing the opportunity to play at home. “Let the fans come and enjoy us playing at home,” he said. “Together, we can achieve this great goal.”
Coach Sergio Scariolo emphasized the importance of defensive play, stating that the team’s lack of talent means that defense is crucial. “We know we don’t have the same talent as previous years, so defense is a great value for us,” he said.
Juancho, who joined the team later than his teammates, is still adjusting to the physical and technical demands of training. “I look very good,” he said. “These days are very demanding, but I see the group quite well and quite motivated.”
He also discussed the fact that he and his teammates may have more prominence in the national team than in their club team. “We have played minutes, there are many games, the season has been quite long,” he said. “It’s adapting to the group, to what it needs.”
Juancho emphasized the importance of teamwork and putting the team’s needs above individual goals. “There are summers when you have to play more, others less. But always by and for the team,” he said. “That’s the secret. Fight, leave egos aside and fight for the team, to get the medals.”
When reflecting on his season with Panathinaikos, Juancho expressed pride in how he had faced all the challenges. “It’s been a pretty tough year, a bit of a roller coaster,” he said. “Enjoying the happy moments, and learning from the difficult ones and injuries. I value the season very positively, especially for the titles.”
Juancho also discussed the potential arrival of another Spanish international, Lorenzo Brown, to Panathinaikos. “It’s another plus,” he said. “He is a great player, he has been one of the best point guards of the season. We already played against him in the playoffs and he made us a son every game. I am very happy that he is coming, with him we won the European Championship, I played very well with him and he is a great player. The more great players that come, the better.”