NEW YORK (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Willy Hernangomez has called fellow Spain international Marc Gasol "inspirational" and admitted he's trying to follow in the superstar's footsteps.

The two are set to be teammates when Spain go after a fourth FIBA EuroBasket crown since 2009 this summer.

"I like everything about him," Hernangomez said to FIBA.com. "He's a key player both for the national team and the Memphis Grizzlies. He is Spanish like me; he is a great person to learn from.

Willy Hernangomez wants to follow in Marc Gasol's footsteps

"We talk fairly often and he's helped me a lot. He teaches me a lot and I really love the way he plays. He is very patient and wise both on and off the court, and that is really inspirational for me."

The two already have a lot of common. Both were key players in their respective Spanish youth national sides.

Hernangomez shouts for joy after Spain's 2011 U18 European title triumph

Each made his senior national side debut at the age of 21, with Gasol a reserve in the title-winning FIBA Basketball World Cup 2006 team and Hernangomez on the FIBA EuroBasket 2015 championship roster.

Gasol claimed silver medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and Hernangomez, with Gasol injured and unable to play, won bronze last year in Rio de Janeiro.

As professionals, Gasol blossomed into a big-time player in Spain with Akasvayu Girona and scooped the honor as the ACB's Most Valuable Player.

Hernangomez made headlines as an up-and-coming center in Spain's top flight with Sevilla and also wore the Real Madrid shirt. 

Gasol has distinguished himself as one of the most intelligent players in the NBA since he moved to the league in 2008.

"He has a very high basketball IQ," said Hernangomez, who just completed his rookie campaign with the New York Knicks. "He has such a great way of reading the game and passing the ball. He is a great example of a natural leader, an inspiration. I want to keep working hard and to try to follow in his footsteps."

Hernangomez has had the luxury of calling on numerous other players to help him in his transition to the NBA, too. One of them is his former Sevilla teammate and fellow New York Knick, Kristaps Porzingis.

A Latvian whose fame has skyrocketed since his move to the Big Apple, Porzingis told FIBA.com this week that he wants to make his first appearance with Latvia's senior team at the FIBA EuroBasket.

"He is a very important person in my life," Hernangomez said. "He helped me so much during my rookie season; we spend a lot of time together. He is my best friend and an amazing teammate.

"Kristaps' presence and the strong relationship we have was one of the reasons why my season has been so positive. I don't think that it would have been this way if he hadn't been here. We have known each other for a while, now, and it's great to play with a very close friend."

The other player that Hernangomez speaks to on a regular basis is his brother, Denver Nuggets forward Juancho.

"It has been a very special year for Juancho and myself," Herngomez said. "His team had a better season than mine but we have both learned a lot since we moved to the USA.

"We talk almost every day and we share with each other a lot about our experience in the NBA. He had a great first season in the NBA, I am very proud of him. We have a very good relationship, we support each other and we are very happy to be in the best league in the world together."

The Hernangomez brothers are two reasons why Spain are likely to remain an elite team in international basketball for the foreseeable future. The country has been a force in Europe since their runner-up finish at FIBA EuroBasket 2003, and had a significant presence at FIBA Basketball World Cups and Olympic Games since 2004 with Pau Gasol their undisputed leader.

Now 36 years old, Pau Gasol is in the latter stages of his national team career. Spain have a FIBA World Ranking of No. 2.

"I think that we need to keep bringing some new young players into the national team," Hernangomez said. "I don't think that the senior national team is going to be less competitive.

"I'm only 22 years old but I have played for the national team and other young guys such as my brother (Juancho), Alex Abrines and some others that play in the ACB (Liga Endesa) are going to help the team stay competitive.

"Guys like Ricky Rubio, Sergio Llull are still going to play for a long time for the national team and they can be the backbone of the group. We have a lot of players and a great potential to achieve great things in the future."

Spain coach Sergio Scariolo doesn't yet know what his roster will look like in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, on September 1 when the defending champions run onto the court to face Montenegro in their FIBA EuroBasket Group C opener. The country's basketball Federation isn't expected to announce the squad for several weeks.

Spain will also take on Croatia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Romania in pool play. Romania and Hungary would appear to be huge underdogs but Hernangomez says nothing can be taken for granted.

"The group is hard and we need to be ready for very intense games and a long competition," he said.

There will be a lot of people already predicting that Spain, because of their talent and winning tradition, are going to reach the top of the podium.

"The goal is always the same as it is in the previous tournaments: we want to win it all," Hernangomez said. "That's our philosophy." 

FIBA