Spain’s EuroBasket debut ended in disappointment, a 69–83 loss against a dominant Georgia. The 14-point defeat comes at a delicate moment, as Spain had already lost five of its six preparation games for this tournament. This negative momentum has many wondering if this finally marks the end of Spain’s long-lasting domination of European basketball.
Generational Change
The golden generation of Spanish basketball was led by Italian head coach Sergio Scariolo. During his tenure as head coach (2009–2012, 2015–2025), he won four EuroBaskets and one World Cup, while also securing two Olympic medals and a bronze at EuroBasket 2015. Such success has cemented his place among the greatest coaches in FIBA history.
Nothing could be more symbolic of the generational change Spain is undergoing than the departure of Scariolo, who will join Real Madrid after this EuroBasket. In his last dance with the national team, the Italian coach faces the fundamental challenge of preparing a new generation of players to prolong Spain’s winning legacy.
Playmaking Problems
The Spanish team is used to having first-class ball-handlers like Sergio Rodríguez, Sergio Llull, or Ricky Rubio. Unfortunately, Spain currently lacks floor generals of the same quality. This deficit has been further deepened by the absence of Lorenzo Brown and Alberto Díaz, both unavailable for the tournament. Their losses have shifted the playmaking responsibility onto 19-year-old youngsters Sergio de Larrea and Mario Saint-Supery.
This inexperience proved costly in their debut against Georgia. De Larrea managed only 3 points and 5 assists in over 23 minutes, while Saint-Supery contributed 4 points and 2 assists in nearly 13 minutes.
Shooting Nightmare
To make matters worse, Spain shot a dreadful 21.9% from the three-point line. This included 2/10 from deep by Santi Aldama, 0/5 from Santi Yusta, and 0/3 from scorer Darío Brizuela. Even more humiliating, Spain converted only 6 of 13 free throws, finishing well below the 50% mark.
No Clear Leadership
Spain entered this tournament with two clear leaders. Firstly, Santi Aldama, the only NBA player in the squad, is considered the most talented member of the roster. After a strong NBA season, Aldama established himself in the league, signing a three-year, $52 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. Despite his importance, he posted an efficiency score of just 7, partly due to the three-point struggles mentioned above. These numbers fall well short of what is expected from a leader.
To complement Aldama, Darío Brizuela brings relentless scoring and was prepared to become Spain’s main perimeter weapon. However, despite scoring 11 points, the figure remains far from what is expected of him as a scoring leader.
So, Can Spain Compete?
Unless Spain’s ball-handlers step up and the team improves its shooting accuracy, Scariolo will face an uphill battle to remain competitive. Additionally, Aldama and Brizuela must raise their effectiveness and fully assume their leadership roles.
Spain need their leaders to lead, their shooters to hit shots, and their point guards to rise as true floor generals. For now, the loss to Georgia has reduced their margin of manoeuvre to the bare minimum. The next two games, played on back-to-back days, will be crucial for Spain’s hopes of reaching the round of 16.
Fortunately, they will face a Bosnia missing Dzanan Musa, Luka Garza, and Xavier Castañeda, as well as a limited Cyprus — the two theoretically weakest teams in the group. Winning both would likely be enough to secure the fourth spot, even if Spain falls to Greece and Italy. But if Spain stumbles against Bosnia, a humiliating group-stage exit looms, with only slim hopes resting on upset wins over superior Greece and Italy.
Yet history warns us: doubting Spain has rarely paid off, and it wouldn’t be the first time they silenced critics with another deep run.
Posted on: 29 August 2025, 18:00 CET
