Willy Hernangomez is reportedly close to becoming the new player of Unicaja, according to Diario Sur. The experienced Spanish center is expected to continue his career in Malaga after spending the previous three seasons with Barcelona.
The potential move represents an interesting kind of player exchange between the two clubs. Hernangomez would leave Barcelona, while Aleksander Balcerowski, who played for Unicaja last season, recently joined the Catalan club as part of their major roster changes.
If the deal is completed, Unicaja would add one of the most experienced Spanish players in European basketball to its frontcourt.
From Real Madrid to NBA and Barcelona
Hernangomez, who plays the center position, is now 32 years old and has built an impressive career both in Europe and the NBA.
He started his professional journey with Real Madrid in 2011 and remained with the Spanish powerhouse until 2016. During that period, he won multiple domestic trophies, including two Liga Endesa titles (2013 and 2016), the Spanish Super Cup in 2012, and the Spanish Cup in 2016.
After leaving Madrid, Hernangomez moved to the NBA, where he played for the New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans before returning to Spain and signing with Barcelona in 2023.
Hernangomez’s success with the Spanish national team
Beyond his club career, Hernangomez has also achieved major success with the Spanish national team.
He was part of Spain’s gold medal-winning team at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, while also winning two EuroBasket gold medals in 2015 and 2022.
At EuroBasket 2022, Hernangomez was named MVP of the tournament, after playing a key role in Spain’s unexpected title run.
His international résumé also includes a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2017 and a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games.
Unicaja entering new era under Txus Vidorreta
The possible arrival of Hernangomez comes during a summer of major changes at Unicaja.
The club parted ways with head coach Ibon Navarro, who took over at Crvena Zvezda, and replaced him with Txus Vidorreta, who arrived from Tenerife.
The roster has also experienced significant changes. Unicaja lost several important players, including Chris Duarte, Aleksander Balcerowski, Emir Sulejmanovic, James Webb and Xavier Castaneda.
So far this offseason, the club has added Cameron Hunt from Joventut and Ignas Brazdeikis from Zalgiris, while the potential signing of Hernangomez would represent another major step in building a competitive roster for the upcoming season.
