By Javier Molero/ jmolero@eurohoops.net
Spanish basketball is undergoing a transition. After a tough Eurobasket, it’s time to look to the future and embrace the positives of the present. Normally, one starts to add new names to the roster, talents who will lead in the upcoming tournaments and make a leap in quality at the national and international levels.
But there’s one name that checks all the points of this list, a born leader who, at 19, is the present: Sergio de Larrea. The Valencia Basket point guard has grown insanely in recent weeks and is ready to lead his team and the national team to a future that looks bright.
As if he’d been among the elite for years, ‘Larry’ isn’t just another player in every rotation he’s in. His combination of intelligence, physique, and talent that can’t be taught makes him special and unique in the Spanish basketball program. What he showed with the national team, what he demonstrated in the Super Cup, where he became the youngest MVP in history, will amaze all of Europe in the coming months.
MVP and leader in a new roster
De Larrea didn’t flinch when he led the win against Real Madrid in the last SuperCopa final. Aware of the reinforcements that have arrived in the guard position (Darius Thompson, Omari Moore), in addition to Jean Montero and Brancou Badio, who were already in Pedro Martínez’s ranks, his character shows he’s not far behind.
“I try to learn from all the players. We know we have a great team, and the reinforcements will help consolidate the project,” he told Eurohoops after winning the Super Cup. “I try to adapt to what the coach asks of me, give my best, and continue to grow,” Larry added, with the tournament’s MVP at his side in front of the media.
But this story isn’t something new. Despite only seeing the tip of the iceberg, Sergio de Larrea’s journey has been filled with moments that have demonstrated his ability to burn through stages at an unreal pace, showing his ability to stay one step ahead of the rest.
His decision to stay in Valencia and ‘take the risk’ of the development that European basketball affords him is something rare in the current basketball landscape. With American scouts in love with his game and the chance to wear the jerseys of historic universities and earn millions, Larry remains loyal to his homeland and the people who gave him his birth.
And every decision, risky or not, pays off over time. What seemed like a two- or three-year project has become a present-day reality. And today, Spanish basketball is grateful to have the Valladolid point guard in its hands.
From U17 to shining at the Eurobasket
Champion of the U19 World Cup in 2023 (aged 17) and silver medalist at the U17 World Cup in 2022, Sergio de Larrea has worked hard to reach the senior team. Eurobasket 2025 was the first big test for the young talent, and he performed above expectations.
The context of injuries, mixed with a strong end to the season with Valencia Basket, which reached the ACB title playoffs, opened the door to the senior national team and the joy of joining a roster that was clamoring for his name. With the responsibility that comes with being a point guard in these major tournaments, he took charge without fear.
Step by step, he was one of the key players in the group stage matches against Italy and Greece. With the difficult task of containing veterans like Darius Thompson (his new teammate) and Kostas Sloukas, among others, he amazed Spanish fans and dispelled any doubts some had about his “precocity” with the national team.
Weeks later, he ended a memorable summer with 21 points and 9/10 free throws against Real Madrid. “He’s very young, but he’s got his head on straight and is in a sensational environment,” said coach Pedro Martínez after the final. “My goal as a coach is to challenge him to be the best player possible,” the coach added, referring to Sergio de Larrea, who seems to have no ceiling.
Not yet 20, he’s the present and future of a Spanish basketball team that needs new heroes. In a Valencia Basket team with fierce competition, the point guard wants to make it clear that he’s there, that no one can forget him. The maturity of a veteran in the body of a young talent who wants to introduce himself to the world.