USA/ARG – Olympian Scola now in the desert

PHOENIX (NBA/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The Phoenix Suns captured a real prize when Argentina captain Luis Scola joined their squad this summer.

The 32-year-old power forward, who just played at his third Olympic Games in London, averaged 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds with Houston last season – his fifth with the club.

Scola left after he was amnestied by the Rockets in order to make room for possible trades.

Phoenix were awarded Scola in an amnesty auction that followed.

Just as the Suns had a true basketball icon in Steve Nash, their former MVP point guard, they now have an icon in Scola, the man who has been competing for Argentina’s senior team since the 2002 FIBA World Championship.

Scola, immediately upon his arrival in Arizona, talked about his time with Argentina's national team and also spoke about being a three-time Olympian.

The opportunity to play at the Games in Athens, Beijing and London has given him a genuine appreciation for the athletes in other sports.

“Life in the Olympic Village is very intense,” Scola said.

“You have a lot of athletes competing and preparing themselves.

"Our sport has a great competition on a daily basis every week of the year, but the majority of the sports that are played in the Olympics are sports in which people pretty much base their whole lives on 10 seconds, or a jump, or whatever your sport has.”

He says there is a real sense of camaraderie in the Olympic Village.

“You live with them (other Argentinian athletes) the whole week,” the Suns power forward said.

“You’re there when they go compete and then you’re there when they come back.

"It’s a special experience because you either celebrate or pat them on the back if they lose.”

Changing teams

Scola, who spent five seasons with the Rockets, is looking forward to making his mark with the Suns.

“It’s an exciting time for me,” Scola said.

“It’s a change and I always take change in a good way.

“You can make it good or bad, so I think you have to make it good.”

He has moved to Phoenix along with former Baskonia (Caja Laboral) teammate Goran Dragic, who spent last season with Scola in Houston.

Dragic, likely to feature at the first FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain in two years with Slovenia just as Scola is with Argentina, is going to have his second spell with Phoenix.

According to coach Alvin Gentry, Dragic has sung the praises of Scola.

Gentry said: “The one thing that Goran said to me was, ‘Coach, he’s going to help us a lot in the locker room.’

“He told me that he practices just like he plays, and that he goes all out in practice.

"It’s great to have somebody who will do that for you.”

FIBA