Chus Mateo: “Aday Mara has made a journey typical of someone who promises to be important in the future”

The national men’s basketball coach, Chus Mateo, asked this Wednesday for “patience” with the team’s young players, with whom they do “work for the present, but also for the future,” although he does not doubt the possible impact of center Aday Mara, who has made “a journey typical of someone who promises to be someone important in the future.”

“I think that both with Aday and with the rest of the young players we are trying to do work for the present, but also work for the future, and now we have a few years in which we hope to reap the fruit that has been sown thanks to the good work of the Spanish clubs and coaches,” Mateo told the media in Zaragoza where the team is concentrated for the match against Portugal this Friday and the qualifier for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.

In the specific case of the Aragonese center, the man from Madrid stressed that “he has made a journey typical of someone who promises to be someone important in the future.” “He is going to make his debut here in front of his fans, which is the best possible debut, with the national team, but he has had to work a lot and sacrifice a lot,” he recalled.

“His first two years of university in the United States were not easy for him and he has finished and culminated this stage with a milestone that has been winning the NCAA, which is the first time that a Spaniard has been able to win a championship as important as this,” he added in reference to Mara’s first time at UCLA and the later, more brilliant one at Michigan.

Thus, the coach is clear that the young Aragonese player “is following the line that is intended for him.” “I think he is in an adequate formation, but, obviously, with him, as with the rest of the young people, we have to be cautious, we have to be patient, we have to let them mature in their own time and each one will have their moment because they are really high-level players,” he said.

On the other hand, he was “delighted to be part of this basketball festival here in Zaragoza”, where on Friday they will face Portugal at the start of the second qualifying phase for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar, with the women’s team subsequently playing two friendlies on Saturday, against Mali, and on Sunday, against China, preparatory to the World Championship next September.

The Madrid native stressed that they will play “in front of magnificent fans, who always support the teams that play here.” “I hope that they can help us in particular, against Portugal, because it will be a difficult game.”

“There are many incentives, really, to come see us live. I think there is a team that is playing with an attractive style for the public and there are incentives such as the possible debut of Aday Mara who, regardless of whether there is another player with whom the fans can also identify such as Santi Yusta or Jaime Pradilla, is obviously the most attractive for these fans who always respond,” he said in relation to the Zaragoza players he has in this concentration.

He also sees as positive “the possibility of training together, of being in the same hotel and also sharing time together” with the women’s team. “Wishing them the best, who right now have a greater role because they are preparing for a World Cup. I hope that we can soon say the same because that would mean that we are already classified,” he indicated.

“Nothing more than to wish Miguel and the women’s team luck for their World Cup. They are going to have two games that will help them a little to test how well they are showing that they play as a team. I hope they have a lot of luck in the World Cup,” Mateo said.