By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Preparing for the 2025 Copa del Rey and a Quarterfinals meeting with La Laguna Tenerife in Gran Canaria Arena on Thursday, FC Barcelona’s Tomas Satoransky focused on Marcelinho Huertas.
“Marce was my teammate in my fist year in Barcelona,” he referred to the 2014-15 campaign, previewing the game on Wednesday, “I learned a lot from him. Besides being a great player, he is a great person.”
Both Satoransky and Huertas went on to play in the NBA, before returning to Europe. The 33-year-old Czech guard became a veteran of 404 appearances in the league based in North America, while the 41-year-old Brazilian guard was featured in 76 games.
“Everyone talks about LeBron who is 40, but Marce is about to turn 42 and his level of play is still the same, if not better,” Satoransky compared his former teammate to LeBron James.
At the bottom end of the 2024-25 campaign, Huertas will celebrate his 42nd birthday in May. Averaging 15.0 points and 5.7 assists per game in the Basketball Champions League, and 14.0 points per contest in Spain’s Liga Endesa Regular Season, he seems destined to be seeking championships at that point of his 24th professional campaign.
“Their players are getting older and also improving every year,” Satoransky nodded to Huertas and his teammates, including Georgian Giorgi Shermadini, “They are a very dangerous team and I think they are the favorites due to their season so far. If we want to be successful, we must be physical and try to run.”
Photo Credit: FIBA