Journalist for La Nueva since 1995, specializing in rugby and basketball; with collaborations in almost all sections of the editorial team (local, police, regional, Ritmo Joven, Nueva magazine, Entertainment)
(Note from the printed edition)
We told you about Christian Crudeli’s story and professional career in 2021. He is a former Estudiantes and Napostá basketball player, from a family from Bahía Blanca, who emigrated to Europe in search of opportunities as a coach, something he achieved in different countries, with Spain being his permanent sports home. From there he projected himself with a basketball academy and wrote the book “Mi baloncesto”, for example.
Today, 20 years later, he participates as a guest in the coaching staff of the Spanish national team, headed by the famous Sergio Scariolo. The Spanish team will debut next Tuesday, July 2, against Lebanon in the Valencia Pre-Olympic, in search of one of the four places to be defined (in four hexagonal) to complete the 12 teams at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
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-How did you arrive to the Spanish national team?
-I was part of the first generation of the Euroleague coaching academy program and from there we established contacts and relationships. Two months ago, Goran Sasic, the executive director of the academy, called me to see if I was interested in having an interview with Sergio Scariolo. He wanted to invite two coaches from the academy to be part of his staff in the Spanish national team, for the preparation and during the Pre-Olympic Games. And in the case that Spain finishes first and reaches the Olympic Games, to have the option of continuing at least the next stage of preparation. After Sasic’s call, I had a talk with Sergio himself. It went very well, obviously, he chose me. I knew I would be part of it two months in advance. On June 9, I joined the staff and the team in preparation in Malaga. We did a whole week of preparation there with about 20 players, along with the U-20 team.
-Within the possibilities that this experience allows you, what role were you assigned within the coaching staff?
-I am in all the coaches’ meetings and in all the training sessions. There I play in the offensive or defensive part, to help the team in all the tactical work in preparation for the tournament. We also do shooting sessions before or at the end of each practice with any of the players for shooting volume, such as (the perimeter players) Darío Brizuela, Rudy (Fernández), (Alex) Abrines and others, or with the inside players. Scariolo already has his five assistants and this year Albert Oliver and Fran Vázquez joined officially. My teammate Salvatore and I, from Italy, were sent by the Euroleague coaching academy to learn and help in whatever is needed. My intention is to learn as much as possible, help in whatever way I can, live this experience and learn as much as possible from Sergio and his staff, since they are all high-level coaches. We were in Málaga, now we have been in Madrid for a week and a half. We already had a match against Italy (Editor’s note: 87-84 overtime loss) and we will continue in Alicante with a friendly against the Dominican Republic. I was already with Che García and greeted him. He is a reference in all the countries where he has coached, due to his way of training. It is always good to learn from the best. And since we are going to play against them, I also went to see them. On Saturday (today) we travel to Valencia to await the debut.
-Does it mean anything special beyond being a, let’s say, unique opportunity?
-Curiously last week, the 18th, I have been living in Spain for 20 years. Who was going to tell me that so long later I would be with Scariolo on the staff of the Spanish team… Last week was special because we were right here in Madrid, at the WiZink Center. I remembered that 10 years ago in the same stadium I went to see the first friendly against Argentina. And last night he was there, but on the bench with the staff. It is an incredible experience and an unmatched educational level. Spending all day with meetings, training, being able to help the players, seeing all the preparation. In terms of learning, it is a giant step to be in the second best team in the FIBa ranking. I’m making the most of this experience. I hope that Spain qualifies and can continue after the Pre-Olympic.
-Precisely, Spain has to go through this stage without several of its great figures. What is new after the so-called “Eñebeá Generation”?
-Yes, there is a change. Sergio Scariolo even mentioned it at the presentation a couple of weeks ago, when he renewed his position for the next four years. He considered that it was the most delicate moment, so to speak, in that sense. But the Spanish team has a lot of depth. Very young players but with a lot of quality. There are historic players like Rudy Fernández with his inexhaustible talent. I see it in every practice. Or like Sergio Llull… Then you have Usman Garuba who comes from the NBA (Golden State), Juancho Hernangómez who was a champion with Panathinaikos. Experienced players, together with very interesting young players who in a couple of years will be in the first team and will give a lot to talk about.
-You were coaching in the EBA league, where the big ACB teams usually send their players for development. Did you pause for the moment?
-I have coached in the EBA league for the last 10 seasons. I finished this year in April and decided not to renew my contract. Today I am without a team, but that was my intention. I also knew from that moment that this opportunity to be with Spain was coming. Today I am looking to take advantage of this promotion and see if each year that follows I have some option also abroad, not just here in Spain. Maybe in the future the door can open in another of the elections in any country. Argentina? I don’t know if it can happen one day. What is clear is that all the training and promotion can help them notice me and see if at some point that possibility still exists. In addition, I continue to have my academy project, where I do individual training with players of, for example, 16, 18 or 20 years old who come for two weeks from India, Poland or England, as well as kids from Spain. It is a parallel activity that I like to do because in the EBA the clubs train at night. It allows me to train in the morning or at midday or organize camps, as I have done, for example.
2024-06-29 08:02:02
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