ESP - Garbajosa: "I've had a lot of good moments with the team"

HIROSHIMA (FIBA World Championship) - Jorge Garbajosa is one of the unsung heroes of the Spanish national team, as stars such as Pau Gasol, Jose Manuel Calderon and Juan Carlos Navarro steal the spotlight.

But the power forward is crucial to Spain's hopes hopes of collecting a medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. In Monday's 92-71 victory over Germany, he played a major role in helping the Spanish defense limit German star Dirk Nowitzki to 14 points on just nine shots.

The game was also Garbajosa's 100th for the Spanish national team. On Tuesday after practice, the 28-year-old received a Spain jersey with number 100 on it.

He also received plenty of praise from his team-mates and coaches.

"Every team needs that kind of player," Spain coach Pepu Hernandez said. "Garbajosa is the kind of player who can shoot, who can play low post, who can guard, who can play with the ball, play without the ball. And he's a good passer too. He can also play different kinds of roles in the defense."

Pau Gasol said you have to admire someone's dedication to play 100 games for his nation.

"It's a big pride, but it's hard to come here year after year all these seasons. It's hard to be here and compete. So it's something you have to admire," Gasol said.

"He means a lot because he gives us a lot of versatilty. He's hard to defend because he's a power forward who can really shoot the ball and he's quick and his defense is really good," Gasol added.

"He's a really good player who has gotten more confident over the years. He had a great year this season, winning the MVP of the finals in Spain."

Garbajosa, himself, felt very honoured to receive the gift from the team.

He took time with FIBA to reflect on his first 100 games for Spain; his upcoming move to the NBA's Toronto Raptors; the development of Spain's stars and Wednesday's showdown with Angola.

FIBA: Jorge, congratulations on your 100th game. How does it feel?

Garbajosa: It's so special playing 100 times for my national team. I have played with them since Sydney 2000 Olympics with different coaches and different players. For me, this is the most important recognition of my career. And i hope to play 100 more.

FIBA: That would take you to 2012 Olympics in London.

Garbajosa: That's a long time. But I will play with the national team every time they call me. I'm 100 per cent with the team, with the president, with the coaches and with the players. For me, it's a big pleasure to come together with the guys every summer.

FIBA: You have any favourite memories along the way?

Garbajosa: I've had a lot of very good moments with the team - the silver medal in Stockholm (at 2003 EuroBasket) and the bronze in Turkey (2001 EuroBasket). But for me, it's special every summer the first day when we meet together in the hotel. I get to see my friends, my team-mates. We have been through a lot of things together, professional and personal things. For me, it's a big party every summer.

FIBA: Your long-time team-mate Juan Carlos Navarro joins the 100 club in tomorrow's game against Angola. What are your thought on playing with Juan Carlos?

Garbajosa: I'm older than him, so i'm sure he will arrive at 200. We've been playing together every summer for the last six years. He's my team-mate, my friend. Playing with a guy like him, with his talent, is so easy for the rest of the team.

FIBA: You are not the star of the Spain team. That's more Pau Gasol or Navarro or Calderon. But you do all the things the team needs to win. Have you played like that your whole career?

Garbajosa: I try to do my best and do what the team needs. If the team needs me to score, I try to do it. If the team needs defense, I try to do it. Now we have a lot of good scoring players. There's Pau, there's Juan Carlos, Calderon, Rudy Fernandez, Felipe (Reyes). And I try to help my team however the coach asks me.

FIBA: You did a very good job about Dirk Nowitzki in the Germany game. And you'll be playing against NBA players this fall. How special is that for you?

Garbajosa: First of all, I don't think it's a one-on-one defense. We changed defenses on them. We had zone, we pressed the whole court. I think we did a great job as a team. As far as the other item, I think I'm ready. I'm going to try. I'm going to be ready for the moment. I'm going to be 100 per cent with my new team and try to compete against the best players in the world.

FIBA: Are you looking forward to playing agianst Pau Gasol in the NBA?

Garbajosa: That's going to be a very special game. To play against Pau, to play against Sergio Rodriguez, who is going to be in Portland. They're my friends and to play against them in the best league in the world is going to be a very important moment.

FIBA: How much influence did Jose Manuel Calderon have in bringing you to Toronto?

Garbajosa: A lot. I've know him since he was 13 years old. I was 16. And I called him 100 times before I signed with any team in the NBA. And I'm still asking him new stuff every day. I'm his friend, my wife knows his wife. So we're going to live close to each other. For me it's very important to go there. Everything is new to me. So it's very important for me to have a friend for me there.

FIBA: What kind of things do you ask, and what does he tell you?

Garbajosa: I ask about the city and everything. The way that they practice. The way to fly to the other cities. How he feels playing every day or every two days. Everything. How they live, the food. Everything. He tells me that he'll be comfortable there.

FIBA: After 100 games of experience, could you talk a bit about the development of guys like Gasol and Calderon from your eyes?

Garbajosa: Pau made an unbelievable development in his body and how he plays. He used to be so skinny a while ago. Now he's so big. He can move his feet in the paint like a guard. And he's big like a five-man. He's a superstar in the best league in the world. With Jose, I don't know too many players who work as hard as he does. He's always ready and works for the team. He's the point guard and he runs this team.

FIBA: What would you say to basketball fans looking forward to seeing a Spanish point guard going to Portland - in Sergio Rodriguez?

Garbajosa: He's a special player, a spectacular player. I used to call him "Soul Man" because he doesn't understand basketball without a kind of grace. But he's still very young. He will learn so much. But i've never seen the talent that he has at that age.

FIBA: Now the team plays against Angola, who are playing very well. Many people thought Spain would play against Germany and then have little trouble against the final two group opponents. But now there's a difficult Angola waiting for you.

Garbajosa: Angola have a way to play which is not good for us. They are strong. Everybody can run and jump. Everybody said that we have to win. But I don't know. We will try to do it. It will be the most important game we have played yet. If we win, they we will be first in the group. And that will be very important for the Round of 16 to try to not face the toughest teams like Argentina. But we are ready. So it doesn't matter who we play against. It can be Angola or Japan or whoever we have to play to make it to the medals.

FIBA: What do Spain need to do to win the game?

Garbajosa: First of all we have to be concentrated. We cannot let our minds wander with everybody saying that we are the best of the group and that we are going to beat Angola easily. It's not true, and it's not for us. It will be a very difficult game. They won the past three games with a 20-point average. So they're doing some things very good. We have to be concentrated and try to run. The team that plays better defense is going to win.

FIBA: Dirk Nowitzki hit the shot over you in the waning seconds to beat Spain in last summer's EuroBasket. You played a critical role in shutting him down yesterday. How rewarding was that after the tough loss in 2005 and in the 2002 quarter-finals?

Garbajosa: We forgot that game. It was a very difficiult moment for us and for me personally. But we cannot remember the past. This is a new year, a new competition. We tried to win the game because it was important for this FIBA World Championship, not because of things in the past.

FIBA: Well, that's all. Again, congratulations on your 100th game for Spain.

Garbajosa: Thank you very much.

By David Hein
FIBA