Xabi Lopez-Arostegui, one of the most experienced players on Spain’s roster, spoke ahead of EuroBasket 2025 in an interview with Basketball Sphere.
Looking at this team, it’s clear that Spain is going through a rejuvenation process, partly due to circumstances. Several players will miss the European Championship because of injuries or other reasons, while the most experienced veterans who carried the team in previous years have retired — most notably the trio of Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, and Sergio Llull.
Xabi Lopez-Arostegui, together with the Hernangomez brothers, is one of the few who has been present for many years. He has now gone from being a role player to suddenly becoming someone expected to provide leadership and help younger teammates adapt and perform at their best.
“Team soldier” might be the best way to describe what he brings to every squad he’s part of, both at the club level and now with the national team. A hard worker, a reliable two-way player, and someone any coach can count on at any moment. Perhaps the best proof of that is the fact that he’s been part of Spain’s system since the youth categories, starting with the U17 team.
He also played an important role in helping Spain win the gold medal in Berlin in 2022, when Juancho Hernangomez destroyed France with his three-point shooting spree, and Willy Hernangomez earned tournament MVP honors.
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Claim Now Spain has suffered several injuries and withdrawals of key players over the past year. How do you see the current strength of the team, and do you think such circumstances can actually bring the group even closer together ahead of EuroBasket 2025?
“Over the past few years we’ve gone through many changes. Some players got injured, some left the team, but when that happens it actually has a positive effect on the group because it pushes us to work harder together and help one another.
We want to build a team with the best possible chemistry and be in top form by the time EuroBasket starts. I truly believe that every single one of us is ready to put in the extra effort to make that happen,” said Xabi Lopez-Arostegui.
You were part of the golden generation that won EuroBasket in 2022. How would you compare that team with the current one, and in what ways has your role changed now that you are one of the most experienced players on the roster?
“This year there are many similarities to what happened when we won the previous EuroBasket. Back then, several important players didn’t come, and now those veterans have retired while injuries have also shaped this roster. We have a much younger team, full of ambitious players who want to get to know each other as quickly as possible.
When it comes to Spain, I’m always ready to do absolutely everything the coach asks of me—whether it’s giving maximum effort on defense or executing certain offensive sets. Now that I’m more experienced, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll do whatever is necessary to help this team.”
The group stage brings specific challenges, especially since Spain will face opponents with very different playing styles. How do you approach preparations for such a variety of rivals? Nowadays, absolutely no one can be underestimated in the slightest. Apart from Cyprus, who are here as hosts, the remaining five teams will battle for four spots in the knockout stage. You know your rivals well, so who do you see as the biggest threat, and which team could be the biggest surprise of the entire EuroBasket, not just in your group?
“During the previous season we could see that a number of great players performed really well both in the NBA and in the EuroLeague, as well as in domestic leagues. They all have quality, and right now the main favorites are Serbia, Germany, and France. Still, there are plenty of other very strong teams, such as Greece and Italy who are in our group, and Latvia…
This EuroBasket is full of talented individuals in every team. Everyone has two or three players competing at a high level. I think the key is to play our best basketball from the very first game, because each matchup carries its own importance in the battle for the best possible position at the end of the group stage. After that, we’ll see what it will be enough for. We have a tough group, but we’ll approach it with maximum seriousness from day one,” explained Xabi Lopez-Arostegui.
🇪🇸 The Last Dance for the four time European Champion, Sergio Scariolo. This Spain squad, however, look far from promising compared to some of their teams of yesteryear.
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) August 25, 2025
🤔 Can they still get to the medal podium once again? 🏅
Full preview 🇪🇸👇https://t.co/PZWbYTKwRo pic.twitter.com/Qm6FFOzmLo
This will be “The Last Dance” for head coach Sergio Scariolo with the Spanish national team. How do the players see that fact, and how much does it motivate you to give him the best possible farewell? Years of success have certainly left their mark, and that family atmosphere we see every summer—thanks to the team’s continuity—could be a real advantage. At the same time, given all the setbacks, Spain doesn’t carry the extra burden of huge expectations, which might actually help you work quietly, from the shadows, in pursuit of the best possible outcome.
“We are blessed to have the chance to be coached by Sergio Scariolo. Throughout all these years, he has always shown incredible passion for the Spanish national team. With him, we became part of our country’s basketball history. We’ll definitely miss him, and it’s amazing to think this will be the last major competition he leads us into.
Watching the way he approaches the game, how much he loves basketball, and how dedicated he is to every single detail is truly impressive. He’s a huge inspiration, and with him we are even more aware of how important proper preparation is.
I think we’re doing an excellent job in that area, and as I already mentioned, we’re also focusing on getting to know each other better so that our understanding on the court improves. I hope we’ll be able to show all of that at EuroBasket, game by game. Coach Scariolo always approaches us in the best possible way,” said Xabi Lopez-Arostegui.
The Hernangomez brothers have long been an important part of the national team. How do you see their role today, and in what ways do they contribute to the team’s atmosphere and performance? With one now the captain and the other the vice-captain, alongside them you could be that “glue guy” who connects everything both on offense and defense—a key figure shaped by your previous experiences, both at club level and with the national team, which you’ve been part of since the U17 squad.
“Juancho and Willy are now the most important pieces of this team, not only because of their basketball talent, but also because of their roles. They’ve been with the Spanish national team for a long time, they know the philosophy inside out, and they also understand how important team chemistry is.
Through their work they try to help everyone grasp that. We spend a lot of time together in practice, but also off the court, and that’s very important too. That way we build mutual trust and can rely on one another in every situation. I’ve had the privilege of being around them for the past four or five years, and that helped me understand how everything works within the national team. Now I try to use my experience to help the younger players.
The philosophy remains the same, nothing changes there. Spain’s nickname is ‘La Familia’ for a reason. That phrase probably describes best what the national team means to us: family. We play for each other, and that’s how we’ll do everything necessary both on and off the court.” – Xabi Lopez-Arostegui concluded in interview to Basketball Sphere.
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