Players’ naturalization has not helped any state unit to develop their basketball / day

Both the Latvian men’s and women’s team have repeatedly lost to national teams, where naturalized players play a key role. Meanwhile, in the previous European Championship for men in 2022, Spain triumphed with Lorenzo Brown.

« I agree that at some moments it forms some lead for these teams, but this is not a long -term solution. We saw men’s basketball that Spain is naturalizing Lorenzo Brown. Okay, winning the European Championship title, but I think they shot it to themselves. concludes Mārtiņš Gulbis, who has led the Latvian women’s national team in two terms and is currently steering the Latvian men’s champion VEF Riga.

« Of course, our team is among the leading world, but when comparing players’ resources and opportunities, it is hard to believe that our match leaders are better than the Spanish team leaders. Even after winning the title of European Championships, the Spanish basketball community was unequivocal. An example, ”says the coach. He emphasizes that the Latvian men’s team is currently confirming: at the highest level, there can be no such additional forces. Naturalized basketball players, on the other hand, are the easiest path or a patch of wounds, preventing it from healing itself.

Gulbis says that the Latvian ladies’ team has been looking for a balance between winning and the involvement of new players in the qualifying round of the European Championship 2025.

« I am convinced that none of the winners of the first two places in other groups had six debutants and four more players without much team experience. Obviously it is a risk and end the coach is responsible for the result. We are currently paying, ”emphasizes the specialist, admitting that the competition for the ladies’ sample is not high at the moment. « We can barely collect 12 players. It’s not a complaint, it’s a reality. As a coach, I am very aware that healthy competition helps both team and players to develop. »

In previous seasons, Gulbis coached the Latvian ladies’ champion TTT Riga. A year ago, the Greek team « Olympiacos » and the French team « Roche Vendee » were beaten in the tournament, reaching the quarter -finals of FIBA ​​Eurocup. However, the specialist says that due to this successful performance this season, TTT Riga has a much smaller budget.

« As far as I understand, I had to take funds from the planned budget of next season when I went to the peak, so it became clear that this season the opportunities would be much smaller. We also saw that the team had just had enough subsistence in the first half of the season, » says the specialist. « We have to strive for success, but it was a pity that in women’s basketball even after such a successful season it was almost impossible to attract private supporters. In the four years I spent there, only at a time when Edgars Bulls worked on it, the team managed to attract additional private funds. Emotion, even as a legendary club as TTT cannot be sure about the ability to play at the appropriate level. ”

A full interview with Martins Gulbi Read the magazine Sports newspaper in the April issue.