ESP - Mr Clutch

MADRID (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Sergio Llull served up a reminder in the recent Copa del Rey Final against Barcelona that when a game hangs in the balance, he needs to have the ball in hands.

In the waning seconds, Sergio Rodriguez passed to Llull and the 26-year-old responded by burying a wide-open jump shot for a 77-76 Real Madrid triumph.

"I'm going to remember the basket with a lot of fondness for the rest of my life," Llull said.

Llull is helping Real win close games in the Liga Endesa and the Turkish Airlines Euroleague right now but come this summer at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, his team will be Spain.

The tournament has the added significance for Llull of being in his own country.

"We are really happy and motivated that the World Cup is going to be in Spain," Llull said to FIBA.com.

"It's going to be held in different cities in Spain and I'm sure that people are going to come out and support us.

"We hope to have a great World Cup."

Llull has been a vital member of the Spain squad since EuroBasket 2009, when the country won the competition for the first time.

He also helped Spain capture the title at EuroBasket 2011, a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics and a bronze at EuroBasket 2013.

"It gives me great pride to defend the Spanish jersey summer after summer," he said.

"It's something that we like doing.

"We are a team that is united.

"We all get on really well and we'll try to do as well as possible."

Rodriguez, his Real teammate, is also a vital member of the Spain squad.

Llull stressed that had it not been for the playmaker, he never would have had a chance to make one of the biggest shots of his Real career against Barcelona.

In the Copa del Rey Final, Barcelona's Greece international Kostas Papanikolaou left Llull to help teammate Victor Sada defend Rodriguez as he attempted to penetrate into the lane and the point guard alertly spotted his open teammate.

"(Rodriguez) deserves all the credit," he said.

"He brings the ball up the court, reads the play and sees the double-team and passes to me in the corner."

This summer, Spain will play in Group A with Serbia, France, Brazil, Iran and Egypt.

Those Preliminary Round games will be held in Granada.

FIBA