MIES (Switzerland) - Start. Bench. Cut. The game is simple, but the choices? Brutal. Every round, we put three legends into the spotlight - and you decide who runs the floor, who waits their turn, and who’s left out.
To start things off, it doesn’t get any bigger than this: Juan Carlos Navarro (Kaunas, EuroBasket 2011). Pau Gasol (Lille, EuroBasket 2015). Ricky Rubio (FIBA World Cup 2019). Three trophies lifted. Three MVPs. Who you got?
Juan Carlos Navarro, EuroBasket 2011
"La Bomba" took over Lithuania like only he could, with an offensive explosion that shook the entire Baltic region. Navarro began the tournament with a 23-point eruption in a win over Poland and in two of the next three games, in wins over Portugal and Lithuania, he drilled a combined 10 3-pointers from 16 attempts. Yet what really separated him from everyone else in the event were his performances at the business end of the tournament.
The shooting guard closed out the Second Round by making all 4 of his attempts from deep in a rout of France, drilled 4 more 3-balls and scored 26 points in a Quarter-Final triumph over Slovenia and made 5 of 9 from long range and poured in his tournament best 35 points to beat North Macedonia, the side that had looked like a team of destiny after its upset of the hosts in the last eight.
The icing on the cake for Navarro was a 27-point masterclass in a 98-85 victory over France in the Final. It was a no-brainer when votes were tabulated for the MVP Award. Navarro collected it after leading Spain to their second straight FIBA EuroBasket crown.
Pau Gasol, EuroBasket 2015
Already regarded as the greatest player in his country's history after spearheading Spain's run to the Naismith Trophy in 2006 at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Japan, and to the country's first EuroBasket title triumph in Poland in 2009, Gasol decided to write another amazing chapter in his career. Having missed EuroBasket 2013 and with some of the shine off Spain's reputation following their Quarter-Final exit as hosts of the 2014 World Cup, Gasol put on a show for the ages in France.
A two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, Gasol averaged 25.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game at EuroBasket 2015. He showed a new wrinkle to his game in a Round of 16 victory over Poland, knocking down 6 of 7 treys en route to a game-high 30 points. Next against undefeated Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece, Gasol put Spain on his back and had 27 points and 9 rebounds in a 73-71 win.
The best performance of all came next, in a Semi-Final win against France, the team that had eliminated Spain from the previous year's World Cup. Gasol had 40 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks as Spain prevailed after overtime, 80-75. Gasol signed off with 25 points and 12 rebounds as Spain, who were missing Navarro and Gasol's brother, Marc, at the EuroBasket, defeated Lithuania, 80-63, for the championship.
Ricky Rubio, World Cup 2019
China was Ricky's world and everyone just lived in it. A Spain team without Pau and minus the retired Navarro, got better and better each game and marched to the Naismith Trophy with Rubio leading the way. The point guard ran the show, scoring 15 points or more in 7 of Spain's 8 games. He had 19 points in the team's Second Round triumph with Serbia, 19 points and 9 assists in a Quarter-Final win over Poland and 19 points and 12 dimes in the marathon 95-88 double overtime victory over Australia.
Rubio saved his best for last. In a title showdown with Luis Scola and Argentina, he turned on the style. Rubio scored his tournament high of 20 points, many of them on fearless drives to the basket, as Spain blew out one of their FIBA rivals, 95-75.
Spain was once again on top of the world — and on the throne sat King Ricky.
FIBA